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Donna Loring is a Penobscot Nation citizen, Vietnam War veteran, former tribal representative to the Maine Legislature and former chief of the Penobscot Nation Police Department.
For most of my life, I have believed that leadership is measured by character, integrity and accountability. I have also believed just as strongly that justice requires fairness and due process. Those principles are not in conflict. In fact, they depend upon one another.
My years in law enforcement taught me that allegations must always be taken seriously. They also taught me that allegations are the beginning of an investigation — not the end of one. Justice requires that those who come forward be heard with respect and compassion, but it also requires that those who stand accused receive the fairness and due process our legal system promises every citizen.
The recent allegation against Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner is serious. Sexual assault allegations should always be taken seriously. Anyone who comes forward deserves to be heard and treated with dignity. If a crime has been committed, there must be accountability.
But there is another principle equally fundamental to our democracy: An accusation is not a conviction.
Already, prominent Democratic leaders are calling on Platner to end his campaign. I believe that is premature.
I believe political parties should not become judge and jury before the facts are known. Nor should voters be denied the opportunity to make a decision based on all the available information.
If evidence ultimately establishes wrongdoing, then there should be accountability. No one should be above the law. But accountability should follow facts, not precede them.
The timing of these events also raises legitimate questions to me about our political process.
There is another concern. Platner has challenged Maine’s political establishment in ways that have energized many voters. Whether or not one agrees with him, he has offered an alternative that many Democrats have embraced precisely because they wanted a different direction. If party leaders decide who may remain on the ballot before voters have their say, many people will understandably question whether the nomination process truly belongs to the voters.
This is not about excusing his actions. It is about protecting a principle that safeguards every American regardless of political party. I believe that if we abandon the presumption of innocence whenever accusations arise during an election, then every future campaign becomes vulnerable to being decided by allegation alone.
The stakes extend beyond one candidate. They concern whether our democratic process will be guided by evidence, fairness and the judgment of voters — or by political pressure before the facts are established.
Democracy is not always tidy. Sometimes it requires patience while difficult questions are answered. Serious allegations deserve serious investigation. They also deserve a process that seeks truth rather than political advantage.
If Platner is ultimately found to have committed a crime, he should be held accountable like anyone else. But if we allow accusations alone to determine who may seek public office, we surrender a principle that protects every citizen, regardless of party.
Let the facts emerge. And then let the people of Maine — not party insiders — decide who should represent them.
I believe that the voters of Maine deserve the opportunity to make that decision themselves. Until the facts are known, Platner should remain in the race, continue his campaign and allow the democratic process to run its course.
If you or someone you know needs resources or support related to sexual violence, contact the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault’s 24/7 hotline at 800-871-7741.