Citizens of Ellis County,
In case this is the first time you are hearing about me or this particular race, my name is Robert Anderson Jr., and I am running to be your next County Attorney. There has been a considerable amount of opinion letters, mailers, social media posts, and even videos about the Ellis County Attorney’s race. Some of what has been said is true, some is false, and some things I have no personal knowledge of. I have tried to stay out of the “mudslinging." However, I MUST share my side of this story. I know this letter is lengthy, but I hope you will read through to the end. It is critical that you are aware of this information before casting a vote in this year’s primary election.
On July 17, 2020, my opponent released an opinion piece in the Hays Post and sent a second campaign mailer that followed this week. In both publications, my opponent, Chris Lyon, implied that I was omitting information from you because it “doesn’t help my campaign” and accused me of spreading “Fake News." He gave you his set of “True Facts” surrounding his living situation. As true as they may be, they are incomplete and wanting. I will address this first and foremost. Second, I will address my experience. Third, I will address the budget and why you should choose me to be your next County Attorney.
- Robert Anderson has failed to inform the electorate of Chris Lyon’s intention regarding where he will live, when he will live there, how long he will live there, and with whom he will be living.
It’s true: I have not been able to accurately keep you, the citizens of Ellis County, apprised of where Mr. Lyon is, where he plans to go next, how long he plans to be there, and with whom he plans to be with. Truthfully, I didn’t know that it was my duty to decipher his actions and words and then deliver a clear-cut answer to that quagmire.
I have chosen the words I have used in my campaign VERY deliberately. I have stated on my campaign materials that Chris Lyon does not live here full-time so as to be truthful and accurate throughout this process. Here is what Mr. Lyon had to say about my campaign materials in a text message conversation on July 10, 2020: “Thanks for being careful about the wording. I looked at your campaign material and you were professional and courteous."
Since Chris evidently expects me to report on his most up-to-date plans, and in the interest of transparency, here is what I know as of today:
From January 28, 2020, until around June 8, 2020 (the day Chris officially re-entered this race), Chris Lyon’s public intention was to move his family to Kansas City. I believe he also shared with some people, but not the general public, that it was his intent to search for a small home in WaKeeney, Kansas so that he could split his time between Kansas City and WaKeeney while fulfilling his duties as Trego County Attorney, Hays City Prosecutor, City of WaKeeney Prosecutor, and whatever other jobs he holds.
It appeared, based upon his actions, that this was exactly what his intent was. His home at 3001 Thunderbird Drive, Hays, Kansas, was put on the market. Then, in March, Mr. Lyon and his wife purchased a home in Overland Park, Kansas. All of this in line with his publicly stated intent.
It is true that in the July 10th text message conversation between Chris and myself, Chris did reveal to me that his family health situation had gotten better and that he and his wife were looking to buy a house in the area after the primary. His exact words were: “After the primary we are going to buy another house in the area. My [family situation] has drastically improved.” He goes on to say that “[the] family health stuff is private please [so don’t share it]”. So, even now, I am trying to balance respecting his wishes for privacy and defending myself against his claims of spreading “fake news." Surely you can understand and appreciate my frustration.
As Chris stated in his July 17th opinion letter in the Hays Post, his home at 3001 Thunderbird Drive, Hays, Kansas, sold on July 2, 2020.
What I find fascinating is that Chris, being on the ballot in three counties (Ellis, Trego, & Gove) and knowing that his race in Ellis County would be hotly contested, had from June 8th or thereabouts until July 2, 2020 to take his home OFF the market and ensure that he maintained a residence here. He knew that my message was: “Chris Lyon does not live here full-time; he has six other jobs; he cannot commit to this job full-time; I am your only full-time option." Despite all of that, he went ahead and sold his home on July 2nd.
The likely explanation, while I cannot prove it because I am not a mind reader, is that he intended to find a small home in “the area” and split his time between Kansas City and “the area” – which again, was his stated intention since back in January.
Fifteen days after Mr. Lyon sells his home in Hays, he writes his opinion piece in which he tries to persuade you, the citizens of Ellis County, to believe that he’s coming right back. He follows up with a second mailer, around 20 days after selling his home, asking you to believe that he’s coming right back.
His actions and his words are not clear. So, my attempt to explain his intentions moving forward are futile. All I can do is ask questions. The questions I hope you are also asking.
Mr. Lyon states that he and his wife are looking for a home “in the area." What does that mean? In Hays? In Ellis County? Is this “area” contingent upon whether or not you win the primary? Will you be selling the home in Overland Park that you purchased three months ago? Are you moving to “the area” full-time or will you be splitting your time with some other place? Why did you sell your home in Hays 20-some days ago?
Furthermore, he stated that his family situation has improved “leaving [him] the time [he] needs to run the Ellis County Attorney’s Office." OK, I have more questions: you have the time needed? How much time is that exactly? Full-time? Why didn’t you say full-time? Is it part-time? Are you quitting your other jobs?
Nothing has changed, my message remains the same: I, Robert Anderson, Jr., am your ONLY FULL-TIME option for this position. Even if Chris Lyon and his family purchase a home adjacent to the Ellis County Courthouse, his several other government jobs do not allow him to commit to the Ellis County Attorney’s Office full-time. That is the real news.
- Experience – Is Chris Lyon the “Only Experienced Candidate”?!
I’m sure a lot of you received two political mailers from my opponent by now. Did you see?! He’s “The Only Experienced Candidate!” This is a bold-faced lie.
He could have put “The Only Experienced Prosecutor” and even that would have been inaccurate.
I am experienced and highly skilled. I have handled thousands of legal cases. I have spent thousands of hours in the courtroom. I am trained to spot the same legal issues and make the same legal arguments as a prosecutor. It does not matter which side of the courtroom I sit on. I am undefeated in felony jury trials (something very few attorneys can say – certainly not Mr. Lyon). I have primarily defended cases, but I have also acted as a special prosecutor and have even served as a municipal judge. I have spent five years handling ALL of the types of cases that the Ellis County Attorney’s Office files. To suggest that I have no experience is, again, a bold-faced lie.
You want to know what Chris Lyon really thinks about my experience?
Chris had no issue with my experience, or supposed lack thereof, when he begged me to run for Ellis County Attorney in January. Chris had no issue with my experience, or supposed lack thereof, when he deputized me as an “Assistant Trego County Attorney” and left me to handle anything that popped up in his jurisdiction while he was on vacation last year. At least one case, to my recollection, did pop up and was handled without issue or the need for Chris to come rushing home.
In a couple of phone conversations with Chris around June 4th or 5th and on June 8th, when Chris was deciding if he was truly going to get back in this race, he suggested that one possible outcome was: if he won, he would hire me as an Assistant Ellis County Attorney. He even suggested that he would be willing to pay me more than his own salary (which would be more than anyone in that office is paid or has ever been paid). That’s what he truly thinks of me.
The only area in which I truly have no experience is, as Mr. Lyon stated, with writing a budget for a public office. All of my experience comes from the private sector, where I’ve operated my own business that I’ve built from the ground up. I’ve had to write my budgets not knowing how much money will be available to me (unlike a government budget). I’ve had to save for rainy days. I’ve had to spend wisely and conservatively. I’ve had to work efficiently. I’ve had to succeed or fail based upon MY performance.
Since we’re on the topic of the budget, let’s talk about item III.
- The Budget & what Chris Lyon won’t tell you
Chris Lyon’s campaign brags that he can save the taxpayers over $100,000.00! That would be quite impressive…if the current County Attorney, Tom Drees, hadn’t already proposed a $90,000 cut approximately four months ago (which was set aside for the next County Attorney to use or not use). So, both Chris and I have the ability to snap our fingers on day one and “save the taxpayers $90,000." You just won’t hear me acting like it was my idea or that I’ve written some new wonderful plan.
Another thing Chris Lyon won’t tell you is that when Tom Drees proposed that cut a few months back, Chris called me FURIOUS about it. I remained calm and explained that I would be willing to work within whatever budget that was passed by our commissioners.
Saving taxpayer money is extremely important to me. I hate paying taxes, but I understand it is necessary. I don’t want to wastefully spend a single penny. That’s why I have created a two-pronged plan to save taxpayer dollars through a decrease in the budget AND through policies that will lessen the costs associated with housing inmates in jail and prison.
What you need to understand about the proposed Ellis County Attorney’s Office budget for 2021 is that 95% of it ($739,282 of the $777,282) is salaries and benefits. So, when we talk about making any significant changes to that budget, what we are really talking about is hiring and firing people. And, to some degree, when we talk about hiring and firing people, what we are talking about is our ability to prosecute cases. Each year, there are more police reports made than cases prosecuted. This is what creates “backlog." Backlog can be thought of as accumulated work debt.
As your next County Attorney, I promise that the number of cases prosecuted will increase without a rise in costs for the taxpayers. This will be executed through the new policies I will implement AND because I, personally, will be in that office AT LEAST 40 hours a week. I am the only one who can increase the number of cases prosecuted without increasing the budget because I am the only one committed to this job full-time. I am your only chance to increase or maintain public safety without an increase in costs.
As a citizen of this county, I care deeply about this community. I am invested. I am your only full-time option. Mr. Lyon is willing to say anything to earn your vote, but ask yourself: “What has he DONE to earn your vote – what has he actually committed himself to?”
Please, use your common sense. When you go to the polls on August 4th, vote for the only full-time option, Robert Anderson, Jr. for Ellis County Attorney.
Robert Anderson Jr., candidate for Ellis County Attorney