Russell Bowers, Arizona’s House Speaker, was harassed and shunned after he refused to help Trump overturn the election. Before election day in November 2020, Bowers supported Trump in the election and even campaigned for him. However, Bowers later refused to break United States and Arizona laws when Trump asked him to do so. Regrettably, refusing to lie for Trump may have ruined Bowers’s future in Republican politics.
Trump stated that he actually won in Arizona and that Bowers was lying. Bowers appeared at a Congressional hearing before the January Sixth Committee to testify against Trump’s false claims. Bowers sat next to Brad Raffensperger and Gabe Sterling, two other elected officials who had been pressured by Trump to falsely claim that the former president beat Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Bowers said that he wanted only to play his part in telling the truth to the American people.
Bowers was the first witness to testify on June 21. He began his testimony by rebutting Trump’s statement. Bowers retold his conversation with Trump and others, during which Trump asked Bowers to assemble the legislature to investigate voter fraud in Arizona and to replace the state’s electors with ones who were more likely to vote for Trump. Bowers asked for evidence of fraud and Trump’s legal advisors said they would show evidence; but they never did. After Trump’s team failed to provide proof, Bowers refused to break the law to help Trump. “I will not do it,” he said. Just before the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, Bowers came under pressure once again. “I said I would not,” Bowers repeated. Trump supporters then spread a lot of bad rumors against Bowers. At one point, Trump supporters even threatened Bowers’s neighbor with a gun. The Speaker’s daughter Kacey was dying during the turmoil; she died soon after January 6th. However, in the midst of chaos, Bowers has remained strong.
He said that he isn’t going to let Republican Trump supporters bully him—and he is still a Republican himself.
Trump stated that he actually won in Arizona and that Bowers was lying. Bowers appeared at a Congressional hearing before the January Sixth Committee to testify against Trump’s false claims. Bowers sat next to Brad Raffensperger and Gabe Sterling, two other elected officials who had been pressured by Trump to falsely claim that the former president beat Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Bowers said that he wanted only to play his part in telling the truth to the American people.
Bowers was the first witness to testify on June 21. He began his testimony by rebutting Trump’s statement. Bowers retold his conversation with Trump and others, during which Trump asked Bowers to assemble the legislature to investigate voter fraud in Arizona and to replace the state’s electors with ones who were more likely to vote for Trump. Bowers asked for evidence of fraud and Trump’s legal advisors said they would show evidence; but they never did. After Trump’s team failed to provide proof, Bowers refused to break the law to help Trump. “I will not do it,” he said. Just before the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, Bowers came under pressure once again. “I said I would not,” Bowers repeated. Trump supporters then spread a lot of bad rumors against Bowers. At one point, Trump supporters even threatened Bowers’s neighbor with a gun. The Speaker’s daughter Kacey was dying during the turmoil; she died soon after January 6th. However, in the midst of chaos, Bowers has remained strong.
He said that he isn’t going to let Republican Trump supporters bully him—and he is still a Republican himself.
