Meet a Maine lawyer dedicated to preserving American democracy

By David Treadwell, Brunswick writer, September 28

Earlier this year, Jed Davis founded a Maine chapter for Lawyers Defending American Democracy

Maine lawyer Jed Davis has spent decades working to prevent American democracy from being destroyed by would-be dictators. At age 87, the Yale-educated attorney shows no signs of slowing down.

Davis was one of the founding members of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine, which was launched in 1985 to educate people about the lessons of the Holocaust. He served as the center’s president for many years and stayed on the board for 30 years.

He has also served on the board of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting for 17 years. The organization provides free articles online about local communities, “getting out information, especially in rural areas, is essential for the survival of democracy.”

A dedicated citizen-leader, Davis has also served on several town planning boards and committees. He commands respect because he is respectful. He’s willing to work for consensus, while standing firm on certain core principles. He states his views with a smile, not a snarl.

“I’ve been very fortunate in life,” he reflects, “and I need to give back.”

Nine months ago, Davis founded the Maine Chapter of Lawyers Defending American Democracy. The national organization was founded in 2019 to provide alerts and take action wherever needed to defend democracy. For example, LDAD has worked to prevent attacks on sitting judges; opposed political interference on federal research funding; and spoken out against President Trump’s illegal arch in the nation’s capitol.

The Maine chapter has about 20 active members.

“We’re not just for lawyers,” said Davis, “we want anyone who cares about saving our democracy.”

Brunswick resident Freda Bernotavicz, a non-lawyer, is a dedicated member.

“I grew up in England but moved here and chose to become an American citizen because of the values,” Bernotavicz said. “I’m so discouraged about what has happened here over the last few years.”

Although he still practices in the law firm of Mitchell and Davis in Augusta, Davis has no qualms about speaking out against the Trump regime.

“There’s a subspecies of Homo sapiens in the current administration,” he notes. “Trump is just trying to avoid being investigated. Those people have no shame, sowing fear and spreading evil. Anyone who still supports them is also spreading evil and threatening democracy.”

Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows spoke at a recent gathering hosted by the Maine Chapter of Lawyers Defending American Democracy on the Brunswick Town Mall. Bellows said that America has “the longest running democracy in the world.” She urged those present to get out and vote, noting that. “Your vote will be safe.”

Just a few days after that meeting on the mall, President Trump issued an order declaring that three networks (MS NOW, CNN and Politico) would no longer have access to the White House. Stifling the media is a classic move of fascist governments. Those networks have sued the administration. Happily, other networks (even Trump-friendly Fox News) have rallied around the networks on this defense of the First Amendment.

Trump supporters often accuse those who don’t support their man of having Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). People like Jed Davis who advocate for the preservation of democracy are anything but deranged. They’ve heeded the lessons of history. They are clear-eyed realists. They know we must band together to save America from the dangers of Trump’s fascist moves.

Former Federal Judge Michael Luttig says, “If America is to be saved, we must distance ourselves from Trump and the MAGA party.” Former newscaster Jim Acosta agrees. “This is a massive test for our democracy. This is no time to be wobbly in the knees.”

Despite his somewhat advanced age, Jed Davis is not wobbly in the knees. He stands tall in every way. All Mainers who truly care about our future should stand with him.