Donald Trump not a legitimate president, says veteran Congressman John Lewis

Rep John Lewis has not missed a presidential inauguration since he took office in 1987 (NBC/Twitter)

Longtime Georgia congressman Rep John Lewis said he does not believe Donald Trump is a legitimate president and he will not attend the upcoming inauguration.

With only one week before the President-elect takes the Oath of Office, his rise to power has been plagued with controversy amid allegations that Russia operatives helped influence the election in his favour.

Mr Lewis told Meet the Press that he believes the alleged actions of the Russian government during the election invalidate Mr Trump's incoming administration.

"I believe in forgiveness. I believe in trying to work with people. It's going to be hard. It's going to be very difficult," Mr Lewis said when asked about forging a relationship with Mr Trump's White House. "I don't see the President-elect as a legitimate president."

He added: "I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. I don't plan to attend the inauguration. It will be the first one that I'll miss since I've been in Congress. You cannot be home with something that you feel is wrong."

Mr Lewis has served in Congress since 1987. He was active in the Civil Rights Movement, and was instrumental in the march across the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Alabama, during a 1965 demonstration, led by Rev Martin Luther King Jr. In the bloody conflict that ensued when police officers brutally attacked protesters, Mr Lewis sustained serious injuries.

The Georgia representative will be joining other members of Congress in skipping the 20 January inauguration ceremony – including Reps Luis Gutiérrez of Illinois, Jared Huffman and Barbara Lee of California, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, and Raúl Grijalva of Arizona.