Communications with candidates: Missouri's 21st House district

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​Guest Post by Wendy Baird, Independence, Mo.
 
One of my biggest pet peeves is that it is near impossible to find information about candidates for local office. I know. Every year, I try to be an educated voter. And every year it is an ordeal, especially for the primaries when candidates are from the same party and therefore have many of the same positions on issues. It just shouldn’t be this hard.
 
I live in the 21st District in Missouri, which has three democrats running in the House of Representatives primary on Aug. 7. No republicans filed to run. The deadline to register to vote in the primary is July 11. You can register at https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/govotemissouri/register.
 
The three candidates running in the 21st district are:
 
Dan O’Neill, www.danoformo.com
Holmes Osborne, www.osborneformissouri.com
Robert Sauls, https://robertsauls.com


I reached out to all of them to ask them a few questions:
 

1. What sets you apart from the other two candidates?
2. What are the top three causes you will champion in the state house?
3. Democrats are currently in the minority, both in our state and nationally. What will be your strategy for working with republicans in the state house?
4. What do you think will be the most important issue facing our state in 2019, and what would you like to do about it?

 
All three replied back to me within 24 hours, which is, frankly, amazing. They all agreed I could share their answers publicly, which I hope makes the process of deciding who to support in August a little easier for others.
 
Their full responses, only edited for formatting, are below:
 
Dan O’Neill
 
Thanks so much for your interest!
 

1. How am I different the two other Candidates?
   
   I have lived in District 21 for 61 years, Osborne has lived in the District less than 2 years, Sauls has lived in the District 31 years. I feel the length of time that I have lived in the District gives me a unique perspective of the current and historic needs of the community. I have the attitude of a public servant and want to be the voice of Independence in Jefferson City. Of the 3 of us I am the only one with direct working experience with the General Assembly in Jefferson City. I have been working as an unpaid advocate of the Real Estate Industry at the state level for 12 years. Working with both Representatives and Senators on such issues as keeping property taxes low and protecting homeowner rights.

 

1. My top priorities?
   
   
   1. Funding Public Schools.
   2. Supporting working families.
   3. Stop huge tax incentives to large corporations without stalling Economic Development.
   4. Rebuild and/or repairs our roads and bridges.

 

1. How I will overcome being a “super-minority” in the General Assembly.
   
   I am a Real Estate Broker and a member of the Missouri Realtors Political Action Committee. Consequently I have been working with both sides of the aisle for many years. I don’t like the tags “Liberal” or “Conservative” because in truth my political personality is a mix of the two. As a Democrat to accomplish anything in the Republican controlled Assembly in Jefferson City I know that it will be necessary for me to cooperate, negotiate and compromise when required. The keyword is Civility. Actually I have been doing all of those routinely for my Real Estate clients for many years.

 

1. Most important issue facing Missouri in 2019.
   
   Transportation and Intra-structure
   Possible solutions
   1. Increase gas tax (I hate Taxes)
   2. Charge Licensing Fees on Commercial Vehicles.
   3. Toll Roads.
   4. Generate the needed revenue by elimination big tax give-a-ways to large corporation’s some of which are not even located in Missouri.

 
 
Holmes Osborne
 
Hi Wendy.  I looked you up on Facebook and saw that you were protesting outside of Senator Blunt’s office.  Very good.
 
I saw you on the Facebook page of [name redacted].  He is a friend of mine.
 
I’ve run for state representative twice in Lafayette County.  I did not win.
 
Of the three candidates, I’m probably the most liberal.
 
We’ve picked up endorsements from several prochoice groups.
 
Also, we are a Moms’ Demand Action Common Gunsense candidate.  We are looking for common sense ways to reduce gun violence.
 
The other two candidates back labor, as do I.
 
If I get elected, I plan on registering thousands of people in Independence whom I believe will vote our way!!!
 
Feel free to call me.
 
Holmes
[phone number redacted]
 
When I asked if I could share this email, Osborne replied:
 
We spoke to Indivisible KC several months ago.  Also add that we are for single payer and an increase in the minimum wage.
 
Robert Sauls
 

1. What sets you apart from the other two candidates?

 
I am the most experienced and the most qualified.  A little bit of information about me:  I was born and raised in Independence, Missouri.  I have lived here for approximately 30 years.  I grew up in a one bedroom house along with my mom and sister in Eastern Jackson County.  My mom taught me the value of hard work.  She worked tirelessly to put food on the table.  She taught me to use my voice to speak up for those who did not have one.  It is ultimately the reason I became an attorney. 
 
I made good grades in high school but I couldn't afford college, so I began my college career at the Metropolitan Community College.  I waited tables and worked at the John Deere factory in Kansas City, Missouri.  I earned grants, scholarships, and good enough grades to get into William Jewell College.  It was through hard work and dedication that I became the first person on either side of my family to graduate from college.  After college I went to law school and graduated with a law degree.
 
I am a prosecuting attorney.  In addition to being a prosecutor, I am also a captain and Assistant Staff Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force Reserves.  I have been a previous public defender, and an attorney who has handled abuse and neglect based on behalf of the state of Missouri.
 
Many people don't like lawyers.  I understand why people are frustrated with lawyers, but Missouri has never had fewer lawyers as law makers than they do right now.  Less than 8% of law makers are lawyers in the Missouri General Assembly.  That matters because it costs the state millions of dollars a year.  When law is vague, or unconstitutional, or just wrong, it has to be litigated, and much of this can be avoided if lawyers are more involved with creating law.
 
I will give you an example.  Currently it is a class D felony (up to 7 years in prison) to posses drugs.  It is a class E felony (up to 4 years in prison) to posses guns and drugs, which means a defendant can get 7 years for possessing heroin and only 4 years for possessing heroin and an AK-47.  That is ridiculous.  This matters because courts have no choice but to treat the higher level felony as a lesser included under the Blockburger test.  This means that I have to dismiss the count that gives the higher range of punishment if I win both counts at trial.  This can be easily fixed with additional language in the statute, but more importantly it would be avoided if more lawyers were involved in making law.
 
In the only union member in this race.  I'm the only lawyer in this race, and I personally understand the struggles that many of my constituents have had to face.  I grew up poor.  I worked my tail off to get here and I have dedicated my life to public service.  I could make twice as much in the private sector but I don't because I believe in working for you.
 
 

1. What are the top three causes you will champion in the state house?

 

1. Expanding Medicaid: this amounts to free money from the federal government.  19 states have chosen not to accept the free money to expand Medicaid and Missouri is one of them.  This amounts to $5 million dollars a day per year.  We could hire 10,000 doctors this year, or 30,000 nurses simply by accepting the free money that the federal government wants to give us.  The main reason this state has not accepted it, is because it is an Obama era initiative.  It is asinine that we do not accept it.  People are dying because they do not have proper healthcare and this is a direct way that we can change that.  When elected, I will fight for my entire term, if necessary, to ensure that we get our constituents this simple and free money, that the republican controlled legislature won't sign off on.

 

1. Criminal justice reform: while this is an extensive issue, I would like to focus on harsher penalties for violent crime and treatment based drug reform. 
   
   Independence has historically had about 4 murders a year.  This last year we had 12.  We have had 3 in Hawthorn within this year so far.  As a prosecutor I regularly seen defendants get 10, 12, and 15 years for murder.  I believe this is far too soft.  I would like to see us require mandatory consecutive sentences for violent/dangerous felonies, and a higher floor for armed criminal action.  We need to protect our community.  We can't stop crime, but we can put violent offenders In prison for longer periods of time. 
   
   Just as important as being harsher on violent crime, I also believe that we should work on treatment based drug reform.  Rather than see addicts going to prison for extended periods of time, I'd rather see us use the money on the front end to try and treat addiction.  It costs between $30,000-$50,000 a year to house someone in prison.  I believe we should focus our efforts on treating addiction rather than imprisoning someone only for them to come back out and use again.  You may be thinking "but isn't it up to them?"  Yes.  It is; however, we have a very successful drug court program in Jackson County.  If you successfully complete the program, you have a 90% chance of not coming back.  Our program should be implemented state wide.
   
   Additionally, most people are going to come out of prison at some point.  I think we should work to ensure that there is actual rehabilitation.  We should ensure that people who get out of prison will have completed anger management if they've got anger issues, or drug treatment if they have drug issues.  They should also get out of prison with a specified trade.

 

1. Fighting for the middle class: while this encompasses many different issues, I believe this is perhaps the most important.  This state has become increasingly red.  For too long republicans have controlled the agenda in Jefferson City.  As a result of this we have seen constant attacks on the middle class. It seems as if "right to work" is on their agenda every single year.  The republicans passed right to work this year, and the people said... "NO."  The people got together, they organized, and they signed a petition to stop it.  Before the people could even vote on prop A, republicans attempted to add it to the ballot again in November as an amendment to the Missouri Constitution. 
   
   The 10 poorest states in the country have "right to work."  Supporting the middle class is not just seen as supporting unions and increased wages, but also increasing minimum wage, expanding Medicaid, and fighting to adequately fund schools.
   
   Republicans won't stop, and we need to put people in positions to fight.  In addition to being a skilled negotiator, I am a passionate litigator.  I am an advocate and I currently use my abilities to fight for victims who do not feel as though they have a voice.  I want to be your voice in Jefferson City.

 
 

1. Democrats are currently in the minority, both in our state and nationally. What will be your strategy for working with republicans in the state house?

 
On the day I filed for office, I spoke with many state legislators.  I made it a point to speak with democrats, but I also made it a point to speak with some republicans as well.  Bill Kidd is a neighboring representative and when I came to his office he asked me why I thought to reach out to him.  I told him for two reasons: 1.) My grandparents are in your district and even though they can't vote for me, they will have my sign in their yard, and perhaps more importantly 2.) I told him that I know you are a union supporter.  My father was UAW, my grandfather was UAW, and I am a member of Local 42.  I told him that while I know we will have our differences, I think it is important to establish a dialogue and be able to come together on like minded issues. 
 
I don't simply want to be a rubber stamp.  I want to be able to talk with moderate conservatives to try and get things done.  My job, education, profession, and life experiences best suits me for this role. 
 
I am a prosecuting attorney and have been one for approximately 6-1/2 years.  I was a public defender for approximately 3-1/2 years.  I have prosecuted and defended thousands of cases.  When I was a public defender I had to work with prosecutors, when I've been a prosecutor I've had to work with defense counsel and public defenders.  The point I am trying to relay is that working with opposition is what I do every single day.  I have had discussions with PDs (public defenders) who have told me that even though we may not always agree, they appreciate working with me.  They like working with me because I am fair, I play above the board, and I will always listen.  The same could be said of me when I was a PD. 
 
You've asked about my strategy in working with opposition.  This is not a new concept for me.  I have been doing this every day for the past decade.  I believe the first component to this is to treat each other with respect.  In life we would all go further if we would focus on our similarities rather than our differences.  Quite frankly I believe that many of the racial problems of today could presumably be solved if we would look at our similarities rather than our differences. 
 
It should not be any different with politics.  The staunch conservative across the aisle has a daughter in grade school.  As a father I believe  we likely have the same concerns.  Is my child going to get a good education, will my child be safe at school, will my child be subject to bullying, etc.?  It's about using those similarities and working toward a common goal.  Understanding that we may not always agree, but recognizing that at the end of the day we are all human, and that many of the things we want out of life coincide with one another.  Recognizing that no matter what, everyone gets a baseline level of respect.  I have had to prosecute people who have committed some very vile and disgusting crimes, but I've always treated them with respect.  I've always ensured fairness in my dealings, and I've never resorted to dirty unethical tactics and foul play.
 

1. What do you think will be the most important issue facing our state in 2019, and what would you like to do about it?
   
   There are far too many issues to rank.  Ultimately I have to go with healthcare.  While I think wages, salary, education, etc., are so very important to our state and the community as a whole, I think healthcare is literally the difference between life and death.  There are people who despise Obamacare, but quite frankly there are some very important components to the program.  Until the ACA was passed insurance companies could prevent you from obtaining health insurance if you had a pre-existing condition.  "How dare you for being sick sometime in the past!"  Pregnancy is even listed as a pre-existing condition.  Additionally parents could keep their kids on their insurance for much longer periods of time than they could in the past.  At minimal... we should expand Medicaid.  We should also work to ensure that healthcare is affordable for all Missourians.  When elected I will use my skill set to fight.  I am a fighter and I will passionately fight for my constituents just as I fight for my victims in court.  I want to earn your vote and your respect.  Here is some literature.  My email can be found through my website.  Contact me.  This also applies when I get to Jefferson City.  If I'm not fighting for you, I want you to contact me.  My website and FB information are on the flier [attached to the original email].  Please follow me on FB, and vote for me on August 7, 2018.  Thank you.

 
Respectfully,
Robert Sauls

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