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Charlie Summers is a former Maine secretary of state and state senator.

“Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

I first met Bill Diamond when I was a freshman state senator and he was then serving as Maine’s secretary of state. From the very first handshake, it was clear to me — and to anyone who encountered him — that Bill was the embodiment of Emerson’s words. He looked you in the eye, spoke with clarity and conviction, and most importantly, his word was his bond.

That rare mix of plain-dealing honesty and steadfast public service marked every chapter of Bil

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