Rep. John Lewis Loses Bet, Trolls Donald Trump In the Process

BROOKHAVEN, GA -- Looks like Congressman John Lewis, who represents Georgia's District 5, which includes parts of Atlanta, will be getting into some good trouble in New England.

Lewis bet two New England lawmakers, Jim Langevin of Rhode Island and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, that his Atlanta Falcons would whip the Patriots.

With the loss Lewis will be handing over a "signed copy of a historic Life magazine featuring Atlanta’s world-class civil rights history." Lewis also owes Moulton a service day in the Massachusetts lawmaker's District 6, which is something the Atlanta Congressman is quite familiar with. If the Falcons would have won, Moulton would have been volunteering somewhere in the Atlanta area.

These types of goodnatured bets are commonplace in national politics, but rarely do they come with a piece of history. And Lewis' offer comes after some contentious back-and-forth with President Donald Trump. Upset over a comment from Lewis questioning the legitimacy of his election, Trump blasted the civil rights icon as ineffectual and suggested Atlanta was crime-ridden.

Read more: 7 insane reasons why the Falcons lost Super Bowl LI

“Two of my colleagues reached out to me to take a chance on the Super Bowl,” Lewis said, according to a news release by Langevin. “I warned them it wasn’t wise to bet against Atlanta, but they insisted. They think experience will win over the rising star. I reminded them that a rising star can be blinding. They told me to check their team’s record, consult the history. That’s when I knew we had it in the bag. I’d match Atlanta’s history against the best any day. Only time will tell, but it may be time for America’s team to move South for the winter. Rise up, Falcons!”

The Falcons didn't rise up high enough. The Patriots won 34-28, staging the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

For Georgia District 5 residents, there's always next year.

Image via U.S. Congress / public domain