Guillermo Moreno (center) attends an inaugural ball with his sister Hadasah (left), and mother Lisa. (Special to GV Wire)
- Central Valley's non-politician residents watched the Trump inauguration, but not from the Capitol.
- Cold weather moved the event indoors.
- Republican Reps. David Valado and Vince Fong say President Trump is positioned to help the Valley.
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With the change in venue of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, not everybody who went to our nation’s capital city from the Central Valley could attend.
Anticipated frigid weather moved the activities indoors. The traditional parade was scrapped for an event at Capital One Arena — home of the NBA’s Wizards and NHL’s Capitals.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer was already in Washington for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. No longer able to attend in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Dyer — along with his chief of staff Kelli Furtado and spokesperson Sontaya Rose — came home early to participate in the Martin Luther King Day celebrations.
Guillermo Moreno, CEO and co-owner of radio stations KXEX (1550 AM) and KQEQ (1210 AM), planned to attend. Unable to go to the alternate location at the Capital One Arena, the Morenos watched on their cell phone at Mount Vernon — about 20 miles from the Capitol.
He is in Washington for inauguration activities with his mother, Lisa Moreno — an official with the California GOP — and sister Hadasah. They attended the California Legacy Ball last night at the Hay-Adams Hotel.
“The change that Americans voted for starts today. The speech showed President Trump’s laser focus on solving our nation’s toughest problems. It was an immense honor to watch this historic event with my family and so many Americans in D.C. I, as many here in D.C., want nothing but success for our country and everyone in it,” Guillermo Moreno said.
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Liz Kolstad, chair of the Fresno County Republican Party, was in Washington.
“This is a new chapter for America. We are stronger, more unified, and ready to reclaim our place as the world’s leader,” Kolstad said in a news release. “Our greatest days are ahead of us.”
Congress Attends in the Rotunda
The Central Valley congressional delegation attended the inauguration, including former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, who represented parts of Fresno and Clovis .
Rep. David Valadao (R-Kings County) said he was honored to attend Trump’s swearing-in.
“To witness the peaceful transfer of power from one leader to the next is something that makes our nation so great, and a privilege I do not take lightly,” he said in a statement. “I am looking forward to working with the Trump Administration to promote American energy independence, address California’s water crisis, lower costs for our families, and bring home some real wins to the Central Valley.”
Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, who succeeded McCarthy, said the inauguration “begins an exciting four years where America and its leaders are reinvigorated, by clarity, breadth, and energy of the President’s vision.”
“I was humbled and energized by the President’s inaugural speech and look forward to working with the Trump-Vance Administration on this day one to pass the laws we need to make America great again,” Fong said.
Fong’s office said they distributed 200 tickets to the originally scheduled inauguration, which are now just souvenirs. Space restrictions in the Rotunda meant Fong and other congressional members could no longer bring guests.
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