Meet a Maine lawyer dedicated to preserving American democracy | Column

Maine Lawyer Leads State Chapter of Democracy‑Defending Group

Brunswick, Maine – In a state that has long prided itself on community engagement, a local attorney is drawing attention to the importance of protecting democratic institutions. Jed Davis, 87, founded the Maine chapter of American Lawyers for Defending Democracy (ALDD) just over nine months ago, bringing together a small but determined group of residents who want to stand up for the rule of law and free expression.

ALDD, a national nonprofit created in 2019, has issued alerts on a variety of threats to democracy, from attempts to interfere with federal research funding to the removal of journalists from the White House. The Maine chapter, headquartered in Brunswick, currently has about 20 active members, including both lawyers and non‑lawyers who share a common concern that “our democracy is under attack.”

“I’ve been very fortunate in life, and I need to give back,” Davis told reporters at a recent gathering on the Brunswick Town Mall. “We’re not just for lawyers; we want anyone who cares about saving our democracy.”

The meeting, which featured a speech by Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, was part of an effort to rally local citizens. Bellows urged attendees to exercise their right to vote and noted that “America has the longest‑running democracy in the world.” “Your vote will be safe,” she added, reinforcing the message that participation is a key defense against political overreach.

The impetus for the meeting came in part from a Trump administration decision that the President had issued only days earlier, restricting White House access for three news outlets: MS NOW, CNN and Politico. The order has drawn criticism nationwide as an attempt to limit independent reporting. In response, the affected outlets filed lawsuits, and even Fox News—a network traditionally seen as supportive of the president—publicly backed the defendants in a defense of the First Amendment.

Davis, who still practices law at Mitchell and Davis in Augusta, has not shied away from calling the current administration “a subspecies of Homo sapiens.” “Trump is just trying to avoid being investigated,” he said. “Those people have no shame, sowing fear and spreading evil. Anyone who still supports them is also spreading evil and threatening democracy.” He added that the president’s actions were “a classic move of fascist governments.”

Not all of Davis’s colleagues agree with his colorful language, but they share his concerns. Freda Bernotavicz, a Brunswick resident who grew up in England before becoming a U.S. citizen, was among the non‑lawyer members present at the event. “I grew up in England but moved here and chose to become an American citizen because of the values,” she said. “I’m so discouraged about what has happened here over the last few years.”

The Maine chapter’s formation follows a long history of Davis’s civic involvement. He helped launch the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine in 1985, served as its president for many years, and sat on its board for three decades. He also spent 17 years on the board of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, an organization that publishes free investigative journalism on local communities. In addition to these roles, Davis has served on several town planning boards and committees, earning a reputation as a respectful, consensus‑oriented leader who “states his views with a smile, not a snarl.”

The national organization, of which the Maine chapter is a part, has been involved in a number of initiatives designed to protect democratic norms. These include efforts to prevent attacks on sitting judges, opposition to political interference in federal research funding, and public statements against actions deemed unlawful by the Trump administration.

“If America is to be saved, we must distance ourselves from Trump and the MAGA party,” former federal judge Michael Luttig said in an interview. “This is a massive test for our democracy. This is no time to be wobbly in the knees,” former Newscaster Jim Acosta added.

For Davis, the stakes are personal. “I’ve spent my life trying to prevent American democracy from being destroyed by would‑be dictators,” he said. “I’m not wobbly in the knees. I stand tall in every way.”

The Maine chapter’s next steps, as it announced, will focus on educating residents about the threats to democratic processes and encouraging community engagement through voter turnout and public discourse. While the group’s membership remains small, its message is clear: democratic preservation is a collective effort that requires active participation from citizens, regardless of profession or political affiliation.

As the nation continues to grapple with the legacy of a highly polarizing administration, the work of Jed Davis and his colleagues in Brunswick reminds Mainers that safeguarding democratic institutions is a task that extends beyond the courtroom and into everyday civic life.