WASHINGTON – In yet another sign of fading bipartisanship, prominent Democrats are planning a big boycott of President Donald Trump's first official State of the Union address of his second term.

Refusing to "legitimize" the Feb. 24 speech, 12 lawmakers said they would skip it and instead hold a rally on the National Mall that they're calling the "People's State of the Union." The list of Democrats includes five senators and seven members of the House of Representatives. MeidasTouch and MoveOn Civic Action, the progressive organizations putting the event together, said Feb. 18 more guests will be announced.

The size of the counterprogramming marks a departure from Democrats' typical responses to such occasions. Though they've protested President Trump in high-profile ways during his past addresses to Congress – former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi once ripped up a copy of his speech – most lawmakers on both sides of the aisle typically attend States of the Union.

The other party then gives a rebuttal that TV networks air just after the presidential address. Regardless of lawmakers' issues with the occupant of the Oval Office, sitting through the speech is a longstanding, bipartisan tradition.

This year is different, though, according to Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut. The potential 2028 presidential contender said in a statement that Trump has repeatedly made a "mockery" of such speeches, "taking a moment that is meant to bring the country together and turning it into a campaign rally to spew hatred and division."

"These aren’t normal times and showing up for this speech puts a veneer of legitimacy on the corruption and lawlessness that has defined his second term," Murphy said.

Among the boycotters are Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota, whose state has been plagued by immigration raids and the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, as well as Rep. Veronica Escobar, whose El Paso district was recently subjected to a sudden airspace freeze.

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The other senators not attending the speech are Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland.

The other members of the House not attending are Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Becca Balint of Vermont, Greg Casar of Texas, Pramila Jayapal of Washington, Delia Ramirez of Illinois and Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey.