The Democratic nominee for Missouri attorney general is pledging to prosecute corruption and work to end puppy mills. Elad Gross of St. Louis earned his law degree from Washington University and served as an assistant attorney general under then-Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster:
“Missouri is for the 12th year in a row, we are the number one state for puppy mills in the entire country. And these are abusive, often times or even in residential areas where they are putting a whole bunch of dogs, they’re smashing them together in the kennels. Heck I’ve got one on me right now, her name is Liberty Belle, she’s got a broken arm from being in one,” Mr. Gross says.
He describes the Show-Me state as America’s puppy mill capital. Mr. Gross tells 939 the Eagle that Missouri’s attorney general is responsible for enforcement of state laws against puppy mills:
“We have to go after them, we have to enforce the laws we have. We have to strengthen them too. But the attorney general can also go after these nonprofit statuses, the corporate statuses of these organizations. They have to get more than just the slap on the wrist,” he says.
Mr. Gross says if elected attorney general, he’ll put everyone on notice that animal abuse will not be tolerated in Missouri. He’s also calling for the development of a partnership between the Missouri AG’s office, the state Department of Agriculture (MDA), local prosecutors and the U-S Department of Agriculture.
Gross will face the winner of GOP primary between Attorney General Andrew Bailey and former federal prosecutor Will Scharf. The November general election will also include Libertarian nominee Ryan Munro of St. Louis.
Missouri’s Democratic nominee for attorney general recently campaigned at 939 the Eagle’s presidential debate watch party at Lakeside Ashland. A number of people in the audience wore shirts supporting former President Donald Trump, a Republican. Mr. Gross met with many voters that evening, telling 939 the Eagle he wants to speak to everyone:
“Look I think it’s very important that the (Missouri) attorney general for Missouri represents the people of Missouri, and that’s all perspective. So I talk to everybody I can, I mean that’s part of campaigning, right.” he says.