WASHINGTON — Defending Hillary Clinton Thursday, Rep. John Lewis downplayed Bernie Sanders’ history as a participant in the civil rights movement, saying he never saw or met Bernie Sanders.

Lewis was among the members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) who appeared at the Democratic National Committee headquarters Thursday (a DNC spokesperson reiterated to BuzzFeed News reiterated it was not a DNC sanctioned event), where the CBC's political action committee formally announced their endorsement of Clinton in the Democratic primary.

A reporter, noting Sanders' involvement with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in the 1960s, asked Lewis, about Sanders' record in the civil rights movement.



Sanders has made his history as a participant in the March on Washington and as a student organizer in SNCC a part of his campaign.



“Well, to be very frank, I don’t want to cut you off, but I know where it’s going,” Lewis said.

As Lewis began to lean into his answer, the room tensed, and someone let out an “uh oh.”

“I never saw him. I never met him," Lewis continued. "I was chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee for 3 years, from 1963 to 1966. I was involved with the sit-ins, the Freedom Rides, the March on Washington, the march from Selma to Montgomery and directed to voter education project for six years. But I met Hillary Clinton. I met President Clinton.”



Lewis, whose comments drew applause from some members of the audience, is expected to campaign for Clinton in South Carolina this weekend.