More than 300 people flood Monument Square, saying they fear the ouster of Attorney General Jeff Sessions is the first step in President Trump’s effort to derail the investigation.
More than 300 demonstrators flooded Portland’s Monument Square Thursday evening to protest President Trump’s decision to oust Attorney General Jeff Sessions and replace him with Matt Whitaker, a presidential loyalist who has openly criticized Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigation into whether anyone involved with Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election.
Demonstrators characterized Trump as a dictator who must be held in check by Congress.
“Among other things, this wave election in Maine was a massive repudiation of the authoritarianism of Donald Trump,” said Dini Merz, one of the leaders of Mainers for Accountable Leadership. “Even in victory, we know that a constitutional crisis looms as Trump gets ready to fire (Rod) Rosenstein and Mueller. Once woken, we will never go back to sleep and we intend to be out here flooding the streets to protect the Mueller investigation and our democracy from the Russians.”
Portland’s demonstration was one of several hundred protests held across the state and the nation, according to Marie Follayttar Smith, executive director of Mainers for Accountable Leadership. Rallies were also held in Bangor, Brunswick, Augusta, Lewiston, Belfast, Kittery and Rockland.
Follayattar said the Portland protest exceeded her expectations.
“I was very surprised. I was expecting 60, maybe 80 people. I had no clue there would be this many people,” Follayattar said.
The crowd was angry with Trump, who they said is not above the law. Many held signs which read: “Protect the Mueller Investigation, Nobody is Above the Law,” “Impeach Treason,” and “For Democracy Sake Protect the Investigation.”
Follayattar agreed that the crowd was angry.
“If they weren’t angry, I’d be concerned,” she said.
Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:
[email protected]
Send questions/comments to the editors.
