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The opinions expressed herein are those of Michael Cianchette and not that of any organization with which he is affiliated.
That was a post made by an Etna man on Saturday, along with a picture of himself holding a weapon and ammunition outside the Palmyra Walmart. The implication was clear.
He was arrested on several charges, including “terrorizing.” His firearm was confiscated pending the court case.
In short, the system worked as it should.
So what the hell happened with Robert R. Card II?
Every day, it seems a new report hits the media about failures and shortcomings leading up to the attack in Lewiston. Some of those reports have been factually wrong.
For example, CNN released a story claiming that the Maine National Guard had made reports to law enforcement about Card. That was not true. The National Guard and the Army Reserve are two different organizations.
As always, take media reports with a grain of salt. Just because something is published does not mean it is accurate.
And as we try to understand what went wrong that led to this tragedy, and how to address it moving forward, our lodestar should be “accuracy.”
Some of the political posturing that has begun – both from legislators and law enforcement – is counterproductive. It is a mish-mash of folks trying to pass the buck, push long-sought policy objectives, and air long-standing grievances.
The scale of these killings is, percentage-wise, on par with September 11. 2,977 people died on 9/11 out of a nation of 285 million. 18 Mainers died in Lewiston out of a state of 1.3 million.
After that fateful September day, Congress passed – and President George W. Bush signed – legislation creating the “9/11 Commission.” It was split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. And it was charged with taking a hard look at how the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history was accomplished.
Maine should follow that example. And, halfway through my writing this column, Gov. Janet Mills announced she was headed down a similar path.
That is the correct response.
The forthcoming commission should be made of individuals who are knowledgeable about the criminal justice system and policing. However, they should not have strong, pre-existing loyalties or affiliations. The State Police, several sheriffs departments, and local law enforcement agencies have all been accused of falling short in preventing the tragedy.
If accuracy is our goal, there can be no sacred cows.
The other group seemingly in the spotlight is the Army Reserve. Maine has no authority to investigate them.
Gov. Mills should press President Joe Biden to order that the Army fully cooperate with the state-led commission. If he won’t, Maine’s congressional delegation should move legislation forcing the issue.
The task laid out before this group must be laser-focused on the lead-up to the Lewiston shootings. Broader discussions about firearms regulation or the mental health system at large would only cloud the main issue: what the hell happened with Robert Card?
That road may take us to some difficult places. And we should take lessons from the 9/11 Commission on how to best make the journey.
The two chairmen of the 9/11 Commission outlined problems they faced leading their effort. Some of it was bureaucratic stonewalling. Some of it was limited resources. And some of it was an unrealistic timeline.
If accuracy is our goal, then Gov. Mills – and Mainers writ large – should ensure that this group has sufficient time to work. One thing that seems clear at this point is that there will be a lot of information to sort through.
The review of this horrific shooting spree should transcend politics. Everyone wants answers now. No one wants to be blamed for it. But, as Gov. Mills begins this process, their only objective should be to answer, accurately, a single question.
What the hell happened with Robert Card?
