Houston Astros pitcher Collin McHugh fired back at Donald Trump on Saturday after the president-elect sent a pair of tweets ripping civil rights icon and respected congressman John Lewis.

Lewis, who represents Georgia’s fifth congressional district, had gone on record questioning the legitimacy of Trump’s presidency until a thorough investigation of Russia’s alleged involvement in the election was completed. This predictably led to a Twitter storm of Trump proportions, with the president-elect sending the following tweets.

Congressman John Lewis should spend more time on fixing and helping his district, which is in horrible shape and falling apart (not to…… — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017





mention crime infested) rather than falsely complaining about the election results. All talk, talk, talk – no action or results. Sad! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2017





McHugh, who lives in Lewis’ district during the offseason, would take exception to those tweets and call out Trump for spewing rhetoric not consistent with what he sees and lives.





…and then doubling down by insulting the civil rights hero on #MLK wknd…wow. #classy https://t.co/Xd1DWsrNlv — Collin McHugh (@Collin_McHugh) January 14, 2017





McHugh is far from the only one coming to Lewis’ defense, but he’s among the most vocal.

The firestorm comes two days before the nation celebrates the civil rights legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., which as McHugh notes has also rubbed some the wrong way. Lewis was among those who walked alongside King during the civil rights movement. He’s seen as a leader by many, which is evidenced in the spirited manner he’s being defended.

McHugh would later add that defending Lewis was not intended to be an anti-Trump position, but rather an anti-bullying and pro-respect stance.

I'm not "anti-trump", I'm just anti-bullying and pro-respect https://t.co/KqnjzBz8YE — Collin McHugh (@Collin_McHugh) January 14, 2017





Again, he’s far from alone in that regard. Many people are attempting to keep an open mind about what lies ahead, but moments like these will continue chipping away at any optimism that remains.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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