Press Releases

Congressional Candidate Gaw to Address Law Enforcement in Kirksville

June 10, 2008

The debate over the Iraq War hits close to home in a new way this week. Funding for the Northern Missouri Drug Task Force is attached to the war spending bill Congress is currently debating. While war funding grabs headlines, funding for the successful local task force hangs in the balance.

With that in mind, Democratic Congressional candidate Steve Gaw will address law enforcement issues in a speech to the Northern Missouri Drug Task Force this Wednesday in Kirksville. The speech is at 10:00 AM at Bank Midwest on Elson Street.

"I am going to talk about changing the way business is done in Washington," said Gaw. "Law enforcement funding is too important to get lost in Washington bickering. As Speaker, I rallied bi-partisan support for cracking down on sex crimes. That kind of bi-partisan approach to change is the way I'll work in Washington. We'll make change happen."

Gaw is an authority on prosecuting sexual predators in Missouri. As Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives from 1996 to 2001, Gaw passed legislation requiring past sex offenders to register with local law enforcement agencies. Gaw's legislation also allowed civil commitment, or detention of sex offenders likely to commit more crimes. Such laws are now common, but Missouri was an early state to implement a registration requirement.

Who: Former House Speaker and Democratic Congressional candidate Steve Gaw

What: Speech on law enforcement. Steve will be available for media questions immediately following the speech.

When: 10:00 AM, Wednesday, June 11th

Where: Top floor of Bank Midwest building, 201 N Elson Street, Kirksville