Anti-worker state Rep Vescovo retaliates against worker-friendly challenger Butler in District 112 race

Rob Vescovo files Sunshine request seeking Robert Butler’s wife’s work emails

By SHERI GASSAWAY

Correspondent

Rep. Rob Vescovo (R-Arnold) apparently didn’t appreciate his worker-friendly challenger in the District 112 race bringing to light the fact that he’s delinquent in paying nearly $5,800 in business taxes.

Vescovo has filed a Sunshine request seeking Robert “Bob” Butler’s wife’s work emails. Mirium Butler is an assistant teaching professor for the Sinclair School of Nursing at the University of Missouri – a state funded agency.

“It’s just an intimidation tactic,” said Butler, a worker-friendly Democrat who has received the Missouri AFL-CIO endorsement for the seat. “They are not going to find anything in my wife’s emails.”

DELINQUENT ON TAXES

Last month, Butler filed a lawsuit alleging that Vescovo was not qualified to appear on the November ballot because he is delinquent the paying taxes.

According to Missouri Case.net, there are eight unsatisfied judgments against businesses owned by Vescovo totaling $5,785.30.

Per state statute, candidates cannot be delinquent in the payment of any state income tax or personal or property taxes on the place of residence.

However, a Dent County judge ruled that Vescovo was not responsible for the taxes in a “personal capacity” and therefore, could remain on the ballot. Her decision was based on a technical issue: the Missouri Department of Revenue had never issued a “written notice” to Vescovo stating he was personally responsible for the taxes.

After the ruling, Vescovo filed the Sunshine request for Mirium Butler’s work emails. Butler alerted his audience of the development on his campaign Facebook page.

“Trying to harass or intimidate a candidate’s family members is wrong,” Butler wrote. “The race is between you and me Rob, so just leave my family alone.”

SOCIAL MEDIA RESPONDS

Butler’s fans were swift to react. Here are a few of their responses:

“What a prince of a guy to respond in such a tawdry, snooping, pesky manner. Who pays the bills for these nauseating requests? Tax payers. Tax payers who are burdened by swells like Robby who decide what and when to pay their taxes! – Al Berhardt

“You came to my door and you offered to talk about any issue I had or answer any questions. You have my vote. Your opponent is dishonest and is trying to direct the attention away from himself. Hopefully people see him for what he really is.” – Jody Thurman Hahn

“All part of the Republican method of political tactics. Can’t win on issues, so attempt to smear and jeer. Predictable and sad.” – Michael Adkins

IT’S TIME FOR VESCOVO TO GO

Vescovo, who was first elected to the seat in 2014, has shown a very clear record of voting against working families and organized labor since he taken office. To date, he has accepted $175,000 in campaign donations from anti-union David Humphreys, CEO of TAMKO Building Products in Joplin, Mo.

Additionally, Vescovo consistently voted for right-to-work legislation last year, filed several anti-worker bills this past session and voted in favor of the paycheck deception bill, which was vetoed by Gov. Jay Nixon and eventually died in the Senate.

In December, Vescovo verbally confronted union members from Laborers’ Local 110 and Bricklayers Local 1 during a picket at Bobcat of St. Louis in Valley Park. Vescovo’s district covers portions of Arnold, Barnhart and High Ridge. It is unclear how the state representative learned of the Valley Park picket or why he was there.

VOTE FOR BUTLER ON NOV. 8

Butler, of Barnhart, is a workers compensation attorney and founded the Jeff Co Dems Club to help rebuild and strengthen the Democratic Party in Jefferson County following the 2014 elections. He announced his intention to run for the District 112 House seat in June 2015 and officially filed for office in February.

Butler has long been known as a friend of working families. He is strongly opposed to so-called right-to-work legislation that would impoverish the middle-class and vows to protect Missouri’s prevailing wage laws.

For more information on Butler or to contribute to his campaign, visit butler4thehouse.com.