Olivo Pledges to End Double Taxation of Senior Citizens
05/01/08
Olivo Pledges to End Double Taxation of Senior Citizens
Meets with Seniors in Warrenton, Hannibal, Columbia, New Haven, and Hermann
WARRENTON, Mo. – Congressional candidate Brock Olivo today started a four-day tour visiting with senior citizens throughout the 9th District about his plan to end the federal government’s double taxation on seniors. The Internal Revenue Service guidelines show that up to 85% of a senior citizen’s social security income can be taxed based on their total yearly income.
“This double taxation is wrong and I want to end it,” he said. “Our senior citizens have paid a 6.2% Social Security tax on every paycheck they’ve ever earned and currently, if they earn more than $25,000 individually or $32,000 as a married couple including their social security benefits and other pension and income, the federal government is taxing them again.”
According to the Internal Revenue Service, the federal government began taxing Social Security benefits in 1984. The taxable amount was increased up to 85% beginning in 1994 following the Deficit Reduction Act of 1993.
“Originally the federal government didn’t tax the income seniors receive from Social Security,” Olivo said. “But over the years, politicians passed new and higher taxes to pay for their out of control spending - putting an unfair, double tax on our seniors.”
Olivo said the Missouri Legislature last year passed a bill to slowly phase out Missouri’s double tax on seniors, noting that state income taxes only make up a small percentage of an individual’s overall tax burden. Olivo said the double tax must no longer be ignored on the federal level.
“Our seniors deserve a Congressman that will fight to protect what they’ve worked their entire lives to earn and I’m that person,” he said. “We need conservative leaders in Washington that will work for real and permanent tax relief.”
Olivo begins the tour today, meeting with seniors in Warrenton. Friday he will speak with senior citizens in Hannibal. Next week he will have lunch with Columbia seniors and finish the tour Tuesday with breakfast and lunch in New Haven and Hermann respectively.
“The bottom line is the Federal Government must and should improve the lives of senior citizens by ending this double tax,” Olivo said.
Media: To set up an interview with Brock during the tour on his plan to end the double tax on senior citizens, please contact Justin Charboneau at (636)221-1303.
Olivo running for Congress as a Washington outsider
4/24/08
Author: DANNY HENLEY Of the Hannibal Courier-Post
Some may point to Brock Olivo's lack of experience in the political arena as a shortcoming. Olivo, one of five Republicans running for Congress from the Ninth District, views it as an asset.
"I'm the only person in the race without a political background. I don't have a political resume. I'm not a career politician. I don't pretend to be one," said Olivo, during a campaign stop in Hannibal Wednesday. "I don't need a political resume to know and understand the issues that we're faced with on a daily basis. I'm a product of the Ninth District. I was raised on the grains and meats of this place. I know it just as well as anybody else does. Having a political resume or not doesn't make the difference. That doesn't make you a good leader. That doesn't make you a good decision maker."
The former star running back at the University of Missouri says the same attributes that helped him succeed at Mizzou will aid him if elected to Congress.
"Those qualities that took me to the NFL, the highest level of professional sports, are the same qualities that I'll take with me to the halls of Congress. Those are qualities that transcend every field," he said. "I'm not a slick political type. I don't even like the word politician. I'm a citizen's representative in this race. What I really enjoy doing is going out every day, sitting down and listening to folks."
As he travels the district, Olivo is getting an ear full from people feeling a financial pinch as the economy slows and prices climb.
"Everyone is feeling the crunch, all the way down the food chain. It's a big issue," he said. "Global demand is at an all-time high. It's not going to diminish."
A rising concern for constituents of the Ninth District is the cost of fuel.
"Renewable biofuels do help out. They're not the long-term solution, I don't think, but they are definitely a good, sort of feel good, quick-fix solution in the meantime. I think we need to look into drilling in Anwr. China is already drilling off the coast of Florida. Why aren't we?" said Olivo, stressing that any drilling in the Alaska wildlife refuge would need to be done in the "most environmentally friendly way possible."
Cutting red tape for seniors and veterans, health care costs for small businesses and immigration are other key issues, according to Olivo.
After voting for the first time only earlier this month, an apologetic Olivo says he was "caught up in a wave of apathy" that he feels grips many Americans.
"I think a lot of folks empathize with the fact they don't feel a connection between the folks that are in Washington, not everybody, but in general the headliners," he said.
Olivo, who applauds the Congressional record of Kenny Hulshof, hopes residents of the Ninth District will give him the chance to serve that they did Hulshof, who also was a Washington outside when first elected.
"I think the people of the Ninth District need someone to continue to represent our Ninth District values in D.C. by being a fiscal conservative, cutting through red tape and standing up to special interests. I look forward to that opportunity," he said.
An Important Milestone
04/22/08
1. An Important Milestone
2. Seeking advice from those who have been there before
3. A special report from Fox News
An Important Milestone
Last week the Olivo campaign marked the important milestone of visiting all the counties of the 9th district. According to the citizens and leaders we are meeting, we are the first campaign to complete this journey. I am very proud of this.
As the only one in our election with the resources and commitment to being a full-time candidate, I am pledging to visit all of the counties in the 9th district at least 12 times each by the August 5th primary. Our smaller, less populated areas deserve just as much attention as the larger cities.
The week culminated with the 9th District Republican caucus where I was elected as a delegate to the Republican State Convention. Team Olivo and I then spent the rest of Saturday at the Spring Football Game at Mizzou, where I connected with old friends, former teammates, new supporters and current players. It was perfect football weather, cold and rainy, but the positive reception we received kept me warm and motivated.
Seeking advice from those who have been there before
A comment I keep hearing from people I visit with is that I am unusual for a candidate. They say “…you don’t act like you know everything.”
I am not a career politician and I do not pretend to have all of the answers. But I am a good listener and want to hear directly from the people about what you need in your next congressman. That is why I have spent a good amount of time meeting with business owners, teachers, health care professionals, and even some current and former elected officials to seek their advice and input for this campaign.
Two notable former elected officials that sought me out for a meeting were the Honorable Steve Largent and the Honorable J.C. Watts. I met with them earlier this month in Washington, D.C.
The three of us share something in common: similar experiences on the gridiron and a passion for public service. As you may know, Largent and Watts served as Congressmen from Oklahoma for many years. Both are still involved with federal government and the Republican Party after retiring from Congress.
I was honored to meet with these gentlemen and hear their advice. Their common message was for me to keep running the campaign the way I am and to keep it clean. Neither were taken seriously in initial campaigns, but proved that hard work and an overwhelming commitment to serve the people would lead to victory.
Both Largent and Watts urged me to stay in contact with them and I will. I also want to hear from you if you have any advice, resources, or invitations to share. My way of campaigning is different – listening to the voters instead of talking at them, and folks are telling me they appreciate it!
A special report from Fox News
The race for the 9th district seat drew some national attention this week as a crew from Fox News Channel interviewed all of the candidates. At their request, we met on the sidelines of Faurot Field and then they followed me to the Columbia Post Office where I spent most of the day on April 15th meeting taxpayers. The story is supposed to run this week on the Brit Hume show and we will send an announcement to let you know when you can tune in.
Be sure to visit us online at BrockOlivo.com to catch up with photos of recent events, view our video question and answer section, submit your own question, or contact us with your ideas, volunteer efforts, or contributions.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail,
Brock
Olivo Announces First Quarter Fundraising Momentum
Brock Olivo will report he raised $36,233.00 for his election as Missouri’s 9th District Congressman in a shortened first quarter of fundraising. Olivo entered the race February 15.
“I am focusing on meeting the people of the 9th district and talking to them about the issues they care about,” said Olivo, who has now visited citizens in 23 of the 25 counties in the district. “As the newcomer in this race, the one thing I know is I am the hardest worker. I’m not a career politician and that means I have to work even harder and smarter as I’m reintroducing myself to voters. They know my unparalleled work ethic on the field, and now I want them to know how I will work hard for them to protect their pocketbooks, cut through bureaucratic red tape and stand up to special interests.”
Olivo created the 27 Club, after his retired Mizzou number, as a first step to building financial support.
“This is the Show Me State and I believe I need to earn a person’s support before asking for large sums of money, especially when people are paying more and more for basic staples like gas, food and education,” he said.
Olivo said he is gaining even greater support since the closing of the first quarter on March 31 through contributions, endorsements, and volunteers.
"I am excited about the response to my candidacy throughout the Ninth District and the encouragement I have received," Olivo said. "We will build on this foundation to attract more supporters to our team as we work toward victory in August."
The Economy and The Campaign
1. Thoughts on the economy
2. Campaign Update
3. Questions and Answers
It is hard to watch the news these days.
No, I am not talking about having to see Barack and Hillary battle it out, I am referring to the constant gloom and doom stories regarding our economy.
Things may appear a bit grim here in Missouri as well. We have witnessed announcements of a plant closure in Camden County, a large tuition increase at the University of Missouri, and Mother Nature again striking homes and farms all across our region through heavy rains and increased spring flooding.
We all know the economy is cyclical and we happen to be at the bottom of the cycle right now. While owning Olivo Consulting, I dealt with many small and medium size manufacturers across two continents. In my role of gaining my clients access to new international markets, they often told me of their struggles to meet their overhead. A considerable part of any manufacturers overhead is dealing with the government.
As I travel the 9th district for my campaign, I hear from business owners and farmers saddled with similar government burdens. As one small employer put it to me, “…filling out this government paperwork doesn’t make me money or allow me to pay my employees.”
I understand that government can do, and should do, some things to stimulate the economy and protect our most vulnerable citizens in times like these but I know the best thing government can do is get out of our way. It will be American innovation and entrepreneurship that leads us out of this temporary downturn, just as it always has.
There is no simple answer to the current economic concerns, but here are a few of my thoughts:
· Missourians need to have a hand up, not a hand out, in times like these.
· Government must put an emphasis on job training and re-training for displaced workers.
· Higher education has to be made affordable for all legal citizens that want to learn and achieve.
· We must return a focus to personal financial responsibility and education to break the grip of credit addiction that affects Americans of all ages.
· Our food and energy supplies have to return to recent affordable prices, keep up with growing demand, and be secure.
· Business needs to have simpler taxation and regulation.
· Healthcare coverage must be accessible, affordable, and portable in the event of job change.
I would be interested to hear what turn-around solutions and ideas you might have. Feel free to share your thoughts with me by emailing .
Campaign Update
My campaign for Congress continues to gain momentum, volunteers, and supporters. I have spent nearly every waking moment meeting with residents of the Ninth District, on the phone with supporters and interested voters, speaking at public events and continuing to better myself as a candidate.
Recently I have toured businesses in Callaway and Shelby Counties, flood damaged areas of Franklin and Osage Counties, spoken at events in Adair, Pike, Crawford and Maries Counties, and held events of my own in Boone, Camden, and Gasconade Counties.
This past Saturday I had the honor of talking with young students and their parents in Washington, MO about childhood physical fitness. I stressed how an early commitment to proper exercise and diet will help them avoid health troubles later in life. This is a topic that I feel very passionate about and am excited about promoting this message when I am a Congressman.
Next week will see Team Olivo and I return to the northern part of the Ninth District as we continue to meet new folks, see old friends, and share our message about my candidacy with my fellow Missourians.
Questions and Answers
If you haven’t already, be sure to visit us online at BrockOlivo.com to volunteer for the campaign, endorse my candidacy, and make a financial contribution to support our efforts. You can also check out our new video Question and Answer section. There I provide video answers to some frequently asked questions I have encountered. I even ask you to challenge me by sending me your own questions that you would like to see answered.
Thank you for your time and I will see you soon on the campaign trail!
Brock
“I’VE GOT TO GO WITH BROCK”
04/02/08
State Senator John Griesheimer Endorses Brock Olivo
Washington, MO- Senator John Griesheimer (R-Washington) has announced that he is supporting the candidacy of Brock Olivo for Missouri’s 9th Congressional District.
“It comes down to someone I know, and someone I trust and that is Brock Olivo,” said Griesheimer. “I have been one of the biggest supporters of Kenny Hulshof both in the U.S. House and in his race for Governor, so it is very important to me that the next Congressman from the 9th have what Kenny has: integrity, dedication, and the ability to rise to a challenge. Brock is that person.”
Griesheimer has known Olivo for more than 15 years and has always had a personal friendship with him. “He has made the Franklin County area proud by achieving so much on athletic fields and in professional arenas during his life. My family and I have enjoyed supporting him and watching him grow into a fine Missourian.”
“John has always been someone I have looked up to,” remarked Olivo. “He is the type of public servant that I will strive to be when elected to Congress-selfless, humble, prepared, and ready to tackle the biggest challenges of the day. His commitment to constituent service is remarkable and will be the model I use while serving in Washington, D.C. ”
John Griesheimer has served the people of Missouri for more than two decades as a Washington City Councilman, a Franklin County Commissioner, a State Representative, and currently as a Missouri State Senator. He is known for his jovial attitude and ability to pass complex issues through the legislature. His Senate district covers two important areas of the 9th Congressional: Franklin and Warren Counties.
Brock Olivo was the founder of an international consulting firm and a former star football player at the high school, university, and professional levels. He announced he was running for the soon to be vacated congressional seat of Representative Kenny Hulshof in February.
“Brock’s campaign is going to be a great one to watch and be involved in. It’s time that we had some fresh blood come to the political arena. I have personally witnessed him grow as a candidate these past few weeks and watched the crowd at Franklin County Lincoln Days come away highly impressed of his sincerity, knowledge, and passion at the event. I can’t wait to see him sworn into Congress!”
More information on the Brock Olivo for Congress campaign can be found at BrockOlivo.com.
Olivo Is Campaigning for Congress Full Time
03/18/08
Washington Missourian
The fact that it was disclosed that Brock Olivo, the former football star turned politician, has never cast a ballot in an election has turned into a crusade for him-to urge young people to register to vote and to show up on Election Day at the polls.
The Republican candidate for Congress from the 9th District said he will place emphasis on voting in his campaign, especially by young adults.
Brock and his Italian wife, Samuela, visited in Washington one day last week, while campaigning in Franklin County. He was a star running back at St. Francis Borgia Regional High and at the University of Missouri. He played four years of professional football for the Detroit Lions.
After he retired from the pro game, he was a player-coach in Italy and then worked for the National Italian American Foundation in Washington, D.C. His wife worked for the same Foundation. Brock worked in the cultural and education department, which handled scholarships, grants, student exchanges and he had duties at the Italian embassy. He was an interpreter for visitors from Italy. His grandfather helped taught him Italian and he continue his language studies at MU. His wife speaks five languages.
He described himself as a full-time underdog candidate who "will out-campaign my opponents," adding, "you know my work ethic."
Brock is a legend at MU because of his strenuous training regimen and rugged play. He said after his heavy concentration on foot, "I was ready to do something else."
He admitted he was "burned out" playing football.
"I have received a positive reception in the district and it's a humbling feeling. The positive response is by people of all ages. I also have heard from MU graduates who are supporting me. They don't associate me with any particular group. They connect with me.
"I'm a fresh face. My focus is for people to get to know me and who I am. I'm a serious candidate. I want to represent people in Congress from my home turf. I embrace the value of people in the district. I believe in community, faith, family, hard work and I'm a fiscal conservative. I want to follow in the path of Kenny Hulshof and build on the foundation he made," Brock said.
"I don't pretend to have all the answers. I will listen and learn. My work ethic is unparalleled. I will deliver for people.
"It's hard for me to put my finger on a No. 1 issue. There are many-illegal immigration, Iraq, Social Security, programs for veterans, transportation, commerce on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, protecting bottomlands for farmers and the economy.
He explained that he supports the surge effort in Iraq and believes strongly in the obligation of government to protect the American people. There has been success in Afghanistan, he said, with life returning to normal to a great extent. "I believe every returning military person should be given a hero's welcome and we must give quality care to those veterans who need it."
He hasn't received any endorsements at this time and he doesn't believe Hulshof, who is giving up his seat in Congress to run for governor this year, will endorse any candidate.
Olivo received a degree in English from MU. He considers Columbia his home now. His mother lives in Hermann and his father still is coaching football at a high school in St. Louis County. The family lived just south of Washington while Brock attended high school and later resided in Washington.
It has been a great week on the campaign trail…
03/14/08
After having the opportunity last weekend to meet with and speak to the attendees of local Lincoln Day events in Boone, Macon, and Miller counties and the 1st District Lincoln Day event in Lewis County, we hit the ground running Monday morning.
Team Olivo and I had meetings, events, and did some grassroots footwork in Gasconade, Montgomery, Osage, Warren, Callaway, Audrain, and Franklin Counties this week. We have met with local and county leaders, agri-businessmen, and voters in courthouses, diners, and businesses.
It is very humbling to me to see the excitement in people’s eyes and receive their offers of support and encouragement as we discuss the campaign and the issues that truly matter here in Missouri.
I would like to thank the Missouri Corn Growers, the University of Missouri Collegiate Farm Bureau, and Mid-America BioFuels for their hospitality this week as well.
Agriculture has changed a lot since I grew up working my Grandfather’s cattle ranch and Quentin Starke’s farm in Gasconade County, but the principals of hard work and sound money management are still there. If a farmer is going to make it these days, he or she has to be a good planner, a tireless worker, and a risk taker…that sounds a lot like my campaign for Congress.
This coming week we will be heading north to Kirksville and Hannibal. I will also be going home to Hermann to attend the Gasconade County Caucus on Saturday. If there are any events in your area that you would like us to attend – no matter how big or small – please feel free to invite Team Olivo.
Thank you for your time and I hope to see you soon on the campaign trail.
Brock
PS
If you haven’t already, and would like to, you can join many others by making a contribution to my campaign online at BrockOlivo.com. Your support from $27.00 to $2300.00 is greatly appreciated and will help ensure that the hardest working candidate in this campaign is elected to Congress.
My campaign for Congress is running full speed ahead!
03/06/08
We launched our red zone version of BrockOlivo.com this week and with your help we can take it to the end zone. Your contribution from $27 to $2300 will help get us where we need to be on March 31st.
The end of this month is the end of the fundraising quarter for candidates and we plan on having a great showing for the voters of Missouri’s 9th district.
Our ground game is going strong as I have personally visited almost half of the counties in the 9th district in the first three weeks, and will be covering the rest very soon. Now we need to ask you to step up and help keep us competitive with your donations. You can donate right now online at BrockOlivo.com .
With your support, we can share my record of being a proven leader who knows the meaning of hard work, who will protect taxpayers' hard-earned money as a fiscal conservative, help citizens cut through bureaucratic red tape to get the benefits they deserve, and be a strong voice for the people of the 9th District by standing up to special interests. Republicans need to start acting like Republicans in Washington, D.C., by protecting taxpayers' money and getting to work on the real issues that impact our daily lives living, working and learning in the 9th District.
Be sure to ask your family, friends, and neighbors, to get involved early in our campaign as well!
I will be out on the trail speaking at local Lincoln Day events in Macon, Columbia, Canton, and Tuscumbia this weekend. Please feel free to stop by and say hi if you are in the area.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Brock Olivo
Running, it seems, is in Olivo’s blood
03/02/08
By Vahe Gregorian
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
HERMANN, MO. — When he announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress at a Gasconade County Republican Party dinner on Feb. 15, Brock Olivo wanted to avoid any confusion.
"That's Brock, with one syllable," Olivo joked.
Not that there are many parallels with Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate from Illinois.
For one thing, Olivo is pitching not change but continuity as he sets out to replace Rep. Kenny Hulshof, who will not seek re-election in the Ninth District as he makes a run for governor.
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For another, the former University of Missouri football folk hero is a Republican. And not just "for now," as he regretted putting it in an interview the night he announced.
"I think I meant 'in this lifetime,'" said a smiling Olivo, 31, who had not expected to be interviewed at the time and found himself giving a clinic in "how to say 'um,' 'uh' and 'you know.' I was a deer in the headlights. I guess that proves I'm not a slick politico."
That figures to be the least of his worries. Some critics believe Olivo is the gag in the gaggle expected to run in the Aug. 5 primary, particularly after a Post-Dispatch report that he never has voted in an election.
The fallout "actually hasn't been as negative as I thought," said Olivo, who calls himself a "recovering apathetic" and added, "People have related to my apathy, especially people in my generation. More significantly, folks from a couple generations before me have told me they weren't politically conscious until well into (their) 40s."
With a laugh, he added, "So I'm ahead of the game."
As of Thursday, Olivo faces three Republican rivals in the August primary: state Rep. Bob Onder, of Lake Saint Louis; state Rep. Danielle Moore of Fulton; and Dan Bishir, a political unknown from St. Peters.
Four Democrats have filed so far: former state Sen. Jeff Schaeperkoetter of Owensville; former House Speaker Steve Gaw of Moberly; state Rep. Judy Baker of Columbia; and Lyndon Bode of Palmyra, who is Marion County's presiding commissioner.
Olivo's success in football stemmed from a maniacal and contagious work ethic that galvanized his teams at Borgia in Washington, Mo., and MU, numerous former coaches and teammates have said. He still bears what those who know him consider an intense earnestness, symbolized by lasered-in eye contact and a tendency to sit literally on the edge of his seat.
But for all that, there is this: Olivo's closest brush with political experience is that a former girlfriend once was Hulshof's press secretary. His initial offerings on his campaign arguably are as lean as the 2.2 percent body fat he once was measured with in a career that included being a cornerstone of Mizzou's first bowl appearance in 13 years and four seasons in the NFL.
While acknowledging that impression, Olivo noted that it's a matter of strategy to move downfield "first down after first down after first down" rather than unveil all at once.
"He's young and fresh-faced and willing to learn and wanting to make a difference," Olivo's mother, Vicki, said in her home last Sunday. "I think that's a lot more important than somebody who's just 'been there, done that.' "
As for where he'd like to go and what he'd like to do, Olivo for now is emphasizing listening over specifics or sweeping declarations. He is positioning himself less as a politician than as a citizen of the Ninth District, whose "grains and meats" he was raised on, whose people he says he'll open his "ears and arms" to.
"I'm a fiscal conservative who's going to cut through red tape and stand up to special interests," said Olivo, who compared special interests to a blitzing linebacker and his constituents to a quarterback he's determined to protect.
That vagueness leaves some wondering what else there is. When Olivo says people "just need to hear me," it's not yet clear what he'll have to say.
Last weekend, Olivo was among several aspiring to Hulshof's seat who attended the Macon County Cattlemen's Association banquet.
"I thought he was an interesting candidate. I think he's on the right track; he was personable and he was willing to listen to what you had to say," said Alan Wyatt, president of the association. "But I'd like to talk to him some more and learn more about what he has in mind."
Despite several years of being cynical about government, Olivo said he's long had politics in mind. The interest was rekindled, he said, while he was in Italy in 2006 and 2007 earning his master's degree in marketing and communications at the University of Bologna.
The ways of Italian government made him appreciative of U.S. government, said Olivo, who after his NFL days worked in Washington for the National Italian-American Foundation, and whose wife, Samuela, is Italian. When Hulshof made his decision to run for governor, Olivo felt "bitten by the political bug" and that the time was right.
Olivo concedes he is a long shot. But that hardly dampens his gusto to enter politics, which he believes he enters with at least one unique perspective.
Olivo left MU as its career leader in rushing yards (3,026), and his jersey No. 27 later was retired. But he is just as proud of volunteering for the grunt work of special teams, for which he was recognized as the national player of the year.
That mentality, he said, embodies what those in public office should be about.
"You're not supposed to be a celebrity or a star or get special treatment," he said. "You don't do it to break the bank. You do it because you have the best interests of the team at heart."
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Olivo Files for 9th Congressional District Race
02/26/08
High-Energy Candidate Offers Fresh Voice to Fill Hulshof ‘s Seat
JEFFERSON CITY – Brock Olivo filed today to run as a Republican candidate for the 9th Congressional District in Missouri. He had announced his candidacy to friends and family in his hometown of Hermann earlier this month following the news that current U.S. Representative Kenny Hulshof will run for governor.
Olivo views himself as an outsider to politics who will work hard to be a strong voice for the people of the 9th Congressional District in Washington, D.C.
“I’m a proven leader with a life-time winning record and now I want to go to work for the people of the 9th Congressional District,” he said. “I’m a fiscal conservative who will cut through red tape and stand up to special interests.”
Olivo is most recognized for his work ethic as an award-winning and record-setting Missouri Tiger football player, and later captain of special teams for the NFL’s Detroit Lions. He is only one of seven players ever to have his football jersey retired at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Olivo said it’s his work ethic that sets him apart in the 9th Congressional race.
“I was always told I was too small or too slow, and now some are saying I’m too young,” Olivo said. “But I proved them wrong in football by working harder than everyone else and I plan to do the same now by listening to the people and working hard to find answers to the problems they face everyday.”
Olivo commended Congressman Hulshof for his efforts in Washington, D.C., to investigate wrong-doing and standing up to his own party to reveal unethical campaign donations.
“Above all, I will continue and build upon the integrity that Congressman Hulshof has brought to this office by standing up to special interests. Rest assured, when I stand up to something, it stands down.”
Olivo was the first Republican candidate to announce for the 9th Congressional district.
To The Editor:
02/20/08
Washington Missourian
Gavin P. Woolley
Although both the New Haven girls and boys basketball teams were beaten by good Sullivan teams Saturday evening, observant fans were treated to a couple of special moments.
The first was Scott Suggs and his family introducing themselves to Kathleen Scheer and her family.
These are two of the very best players to have graced the courts of Franklin County gyms and will reap the fruits of their hard work and practice at Division I college programs.
Both will no doubt be fine students and represent Franklin County well. Later, one could see Miss Scheer, who only a short while earlier had done everything she could to beat Sullivan, watching the boys game with Sullivan player Hailee Parks, cutting up like only teenage friends can. In a month where a fan hit an official and senseless shootings filled the headlines all too often, it was heartwarming to see that sports can have this positive effect on students. The lifelong lessons learned in sports were also mentioned by former Borgia and Mizzou standout Brock Olivo in his announcement to run for Congress this same weekend.
I wish these fine young student athletes all the best in their future endeavors knowing from what I saw Saturday night that they will account for themselves well both on and off the court.
Olivo Candidacy
02/20/08
Washington Missourian
Adding interest to the race to be the next representative from the 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives was the announcement by Brock Olivo that he will be a Republican candidate. Official filing begins Feb. 26.
Football fans remember Olivo as a dedicated high school, college and professional football player. He gain famed on the field because of his dogged determinedness to succeed against all odds.
Certainly he had considerable talent but he pushed himself to be even better.
He was a star running back when St. Francis Borgia Regional High School won a state football championship.
He was good enough for his number to be retired at the University of Missouri after he earned his degree.
He was good enough to be named captain of special teams when playing pro ball for Detroit for four years. However, being a very good football player does not qualify one for being a member of Congress.
We don't know how well versed he is in the major issues America faces today.
But we do know if he puts the same energy into politics that he did on the football field he will make the race for the Republican nomination very interesting.
He's smart enough to do the homework required to be informed on the issues.
Like others, we look forward to his message. At age 31, his youthfulness will have a degree of appeal with younger voters. He is one not to underestimate.
He has battled the odds before to be a success but this stadium is very different.
Olivo Comments on Voting Record
02/20/08
"I haven't been an active voter in elections. In fact, I have never voted in an election.
I know that I was wrong not to vote and people should know this when considering to support my candidacy.
I didn't vote because I was caught up in the apathy that's swept my generation up until this year's election cycle. Many of our leaders did not, and still do not, speak to issues that are important to all of us, namely: stopping the rhetoric and doing the job they were elected to do.
Before I moved abroad in 2005, I worked in and around Congress in D.C., and just when I was ready to take that step to be involved in the process, I was quickly jaded by seeing how our national government really worked.
It took living abroad to make me realize that I was missing the point and that our form of freedom and government is the best in the world, and that my generation is wrong to be apathetic.
When Congressman Hulshof decided to step down from his seat to run for Governor, I felt the calling to step forward to continue being a leader as I have been my whole life, and to run for the seat. I've been planning on sharing my voting record and the realization that has brought me to run for Congress at the a Lincoln Day dinner next week because I'm honest to the people. I want to serve as an inspiration to other younger Missourians that it is never too late to get involved in the political process of our state and nation. I will carry voter registration forms with me as I travel the 9th district to get more confessed recovering apathetics like myself involved in the process.
But what really matters is that the people of the 9th Congressional District know, that as their next Congressman, I will be present in Washington, D.C., to make sure their voice is represented on every vote. I promise to be there and cast those votes to the best of my ability."
