Nate Bell
Jerry Nathan Bell, known as Nate Bell (born July 17, 1969), is an Independent politician from Mena in the U.S. state of Arkansas, who served three two-year terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives. From 2013 to 2017, he represented District 20, which encomp*es Polk and Montgomery counties. From 2011 to 2013, he was the representative for District 22. He was a Republican prior to 2015.
Contents
- 1 Business career
- 2 Early political career
- 3 General *embly
- 3.1 Voting history
- 4 Controversies
- 4.1 The Hitler incident
- 4.2 The abortion incident
- 4.3 Boston Marathon bombing comments
- 4.4 King-Lee Day
- 5 Personal life
- 6 References
Business career
Bell is founder and managing partner of Quad B Specialties, LLC, a licensed commercial and residential construction firm.
Early political career
Bell was elected constable of Potter Township in Polk County in 2004, 2006, and 2008.
General *embly
In 2010, Bell defeated the DemocratOrvin Foster, 5,022 (60 percent) to 3,355 (40 percent) to win the District 22 seat vacated by the Democrat Bill Abernathy.
In 2012, Bell was switched to District 20, in which he defeated another Democrat, Lewis Diggs, 6,696 to 3,592. This seat was vacated by the Democrat, the term-limited Johnnie Roebuck.
In the 89th General *embly, Bell served on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee.
In March 2015, Bell provided forceful support for fellow legislator Justin Harris during his rehoming (aka child abandonment) scandal.
Voting history
Bell's voting includes:
Controversies
Bell is nationally known for his polarizing and controversial commentary on social issues, including:
The Hitler incident
Bell received criticism for "misquoting" Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. The quote was considered incorrect by those opposing Bell's political positions, nonetheless Bell stood by the quote.
The abortion incident
See also: Abortion in the United States and Abortion debateBell exchanged e-mails with an Arkansas resident living outside his district, regarding his stance on abortion.
Boston Marathon bombing comments
Main article: Boston Marathon bombingIn response to news reports of a lockdown in the Boston metropolitan area, on April 19, 2013, Bell tweeted, "I wonder how many Boston liberals spent the night cowering in their homes wishing they had an AR-15 with a hi-capacity magazine?".
Bell's remarks outraged many in M*achusetts, Arkansas, and throughout the country. The Republican then Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Davy Carter, called the remark "inappropriate and insensitive." Then Democratic minority leader Greg Leding of Fayetteville, said, "The people of Boston are not cowards. They are patriots. ... No one, including Representative Bell, should ever infer that the American people are anything other than courageous, and the only words we should be offering to the people of Boston are those of support and of prayer."
King-Lee Day
In the 2015 legislative session, Bell joined with the African-American Democrat Charles Blake of Little Rock in an unsuccessful effort to sever Martin Luther King Day and the Robert E. Lee holiday, which are both observed in Arkansas on the third Monday of January. Bell proposed that Lee's holiday be transferred to November 30, a "Southern Heritage Day" to correspond with the birthday of a Confederate States Army general from eastern Arkansas, Patrick Cleburne, who was killed in the American Civil War in Franklin, Tennessee. Only two citizens spoke in a public hearing on the Blake-Bell measure; twenty-four signed to speak in opposition. Alabama and Mississippi also observe a combined King-Lee Day. Representative Trevor Drown of Dover said that Arkansas should remain unique on the issue and not copy the majority of states because "it's our heritage."
Personal life
Bell is involved in many community and civic organizations, including Rotary International, 4-H Clubs (volunteer leader), Poultry Partners, the National Rifle *ociation, and the Polk County Farm Bureau. He is also a member of LeadAR, the Western Arkansas Fire Rescue *ociation, and the Potter Volunteer Fire Department. Bell attends the non-denominational Grace Bible Church. Bell and his wife, Phyllis, have two daughters, Victoria and Hannah.
Bell did not seek a fourth term in the state House in 2016. A Republican, John Maddox instead won the position. Bell still has ten years of eligibility in the state legislature should he decide to serve again.