Russell "Rusty" Bowers speaking with attendees at the 2019 Legislative Forecast Luncheon. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)
Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Republican, explained the harassment and intimidation he and his family endured during the fourth public hearing over the Jan. 6 insurrection on Tuesday.
Bowers testified about the pressure he faced from Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani to reverse his state's results. He mentioned that he has been targeted by Donald Trump's supporters and QAnon after refusing to go along with the scheme.
Bowers said they called him "a pervert and a corrupt politician and blaring loudspeakers in my neighborhood and leaving literature both on my property and arguing and threatening with neighbors and with myself." That has become a key accusation by the right, which has begun falsely alleging anyone they don't like is either a pedophile or is somehow "grooming" children.
He went on to recall a man with a gun who was threatening his neighbor. The man had "three bars on his chest," which indicates he was a member of the Three Percenter militia.
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Bowers mentioned that at the time his daughter was "gravely ill" and was very upset about what she was seeing her parents handle. It was at that point, as he also mentioned his wife, that Bowers began to tear up.
"And my wife was and is a valiant person, very strong, quiet. Very strong woman," he said with a pause. "So, it was disturbing." He paused again. "It was disturbing."
Bowers is a sculptor by trade, according to an article on him. He's also a beekeeper and orchardist, but most enjoys spending time with his grandchildren.
See the video below or at this link.