The testimony of Russell Bowers, a Republican lawmaker of Arizona, will begin this Tuesday at the Washington U.S. capitol where he will defend his refusal to overturn the 2020 election outcome.
During his testimony, Bowers started off by recalling a recent conversation with past president Donald Trump and the current Mayor of New York City, Rudy Guiliani. Guiliani assertively claimed that the election was stolen, and evidence would be delivered to prove his bold claim. However, no proof of a fraudulent election was received. In another meeting with Guiliani, Bowers asked once again for incriminating evidence of the election results, only this time to be replied to, “We’ve got lots of theories-we just don’t have the evidence.”
An attorney for the Arizona House relayed that Trump had put out a statement declaring that Bowers had told him that the election was tricked and he had “won Arizona.” Bowers calmly rebutted, “That certainly isn’t it. Anywhere anyone, anytime, has said that I said the election was rigged — that would not be true.”
It seemed as if Bowers’ arguments were easily too powerful, so instead of opposing his ideas, many people tried to persuade him to switch his ideas. Having spoken to an Arizona House attorney, pro-Trump Lawyer, John Eastman, laid out a legal theory for decertifying Arizona’s electors. Eastman presented this theory during a call with Bowers, feeling sure that he would be convinced. Instead, clever to the mind, Bowers questioned if the strategy had ever been tested. Eastman encouraged him to give it a try, only for his offer to be declined. “I would like to, for whatever small part I had, reduce conflict and work toward a more ongoing reconciliation of people,” Bowers said. “I don’t need to win anything.”
As a result of Bowers’ strongly held position, he immediately became the target of violent protests and abominable accusations. Caravans of Trump supporters bombarded Bowers’ neighborhood, with people screaming through bullhorns, leading parades of criticism, and even illegally filming Bowers’ home. In one instance, a man showed up with a gun, threatening Bowers’ neighbor. Bower pressed, “When I saw the gun, I knew I had to get close.”
In addition to all the election drama, a particularly devasting event occurred -Bower’s daughter was dying. She was “upset by what was happening outside, and my wife is a valiant person. Very, very strong. Quiet. Very strong woman,” Bowers said with grief. “So, it was disturbing. It was disturbing.” After Kacey Bowers’ death, her father dove deeper into debate over the 2020 election, only to face increasingly more numerous challenges along the way.
Bowers concluded his testimony by reading aloud one of his most significant journal entries, “I may, in the eyes of men, not hold correct opinions or act according to their vision or convictions, but I do not take this current situation in a light manner, a fearful manner or a vengeful manner,” he said. “I do not want to be a winner by cheating. I will not play with laws I swore allegiance to. With any contrived desire toward deflection of my deep, foundational desire to follow God’s will as I believe he led my conscience to embrace. How else will I ever approach him in the wilderness of life knowing that I ask this guidance only to show myself a coward in defending the course … he led me to take.”
Link:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/06/21/rusty-bowers-jan-6/
During his testimony, Bowers started off by recalling a recent conversation with past president Donald Trump and the current Mayor of New York City, Rudy Guiliani. Guiliani assertively claimed that the election was stolen, and evidence would be delivered to prove his bold claim. However, no proof of a fraudulent election was received. In another meeting with Guiliani, Bowers asked once again for incriminating evidence of the election results, only this time to be replied to, “We’ve got lots of theories-we just don’t have the evidence.”
An attorney for the Arizona House relayed that Trump had put out a statement declaring that Bowers had told him that the election was tricked and he had “won Arizona.” Bowers calmly rebutted, “That certainly isn’t it. Anywhere anyone, anytime, has said that I said the election was rigged — that would not be true.”
It seemed as if Bowers’ arguments were easily too powerful, so instead of opposing his ideas, many people tried to persuade him to switch his ideas. Having spoken to an Arizona House attorney, pro-Trump Lawyer, John Eastman, laid out a legal theory for decertifying Arizona’s electors. Eastman presented this theory during a call with Bowers, feeling sure that he would be convinced. Instead, clever to the mind, Bowers questioned if the strategy had ever been tested. Eastman encouraged him to give it a try, only for his offer to be declined. “I would like to, for whatever small part I had, reduce conflict and work toward a more ongoing reconciliation of people,” Bowers said. “I don’t need to win anything.”
As a result of Bowers’ strongly held position, he immediately became the target of violent protests and abominable accusations. Caravans of Trump supporters bombarded Bowers’ neighborhood, with people screaming through bullhorns, leading parades of criticism, and even illegally filming Bowers’ home. In one instance, a man showed up with a gun, threatening Bowers’ neighbor. Bower pressed, “When I saw the gun, I knew I had to get close.”
In addition to all the election drama, a particularly devasting event occurred -Bower’s daughter was dying. She was “upset by what was happening outside, and my wife is a valiant person. Very, very strong. Quiet. Very strong woman,” Bowers said with grief. “So, it was disturbing. It was disturbing.” After Kacey Bowers’ death, her father dove deeper into debate over the 2020 election, only to face increasingly more numerous challenges along the way.
Bowers concluded his testimony by reading aloud one of his most significant journal entries, “I may, in the eyes of men, not hold correct opinions or act according to their vision or convictions, but I do not take this current situation in a light manner, a fearful manner or a vengeful manner,” he said. “I do not want to be a winner by cheating. I will not play with laws I swore allegiance to. With any contrived desire toward deflection of my deep, foundational desire to follow God’s will as I believe he led my conscience to embrace. How else will I ever approach him in the wilderness of life knowing that I ask this guidance only to show myself a coward in defending the course … he led me to take.”
Link:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/06/21/rusty-bowers-jan-6/
