Green Party candidate smoldering after van is destroyed by fire
McCowan's charred van
ST. LOUIS –The Rev. Elston McCowan, the Green Party nominee for mayor, was seeing red this morning after waking up to the sight of his van burnt to a crisp.
The van actually belongs to McCowan’s church, Star Grace Missionary Baptist, but he says he keeps it in front of his house in Baden because the neighborhood is safer.
“Lot of good that did me,” McCowan said today.
The front of the Chrysler van was thoroughly charred, with the front passenger side tire reduced to burnt rubber.
McCowan says neighbors told him the fire happened around 1 a.m. this morning.
“They said they heard a truck pull off real fast,” McCowan said. “I slept through it — I guess I was so tired from fighting Slay.”
McCowan, who faces incumbent Mayor Francis Slay in next week’s election, questions whether Slay might had something to do with the torching the van.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” McCowan said.
Asked about the possibility by KMOX radio, Slay campaign manager Jeff Rainford said he was ” almost speechless at the stupidity of the whole thing.”
Blaming Slay? He just lost my vote.
What a nut case.
You don’t think Slay would have his goons “take care” of the opposition? You people are delusional. I can’t believe how many Slay signs I see in front of houses here. It’s pathetic, and I know from talking to some neighbors that it is only because they are afraid to show signs for the opposition.
Sure there crazy person. We believe you. Nice foil hat, it looks good on you.
Mijjy,
that is not a foil hat your wearing, we all know it is an interceptor device……but I do think the TV rabbit ears are a bit over the top…I mean everything from slayron in being transmitted digitally now.
No doubt Slay would take care of serious opposition (look at what happened to Mike McMillan). Why would he bother with opposition that takes care of itself (McCowan, Coleman)?
Whoever took the conscious decision to look up Elston McCowan’s address and then sneak up in the middle of the night to torch the Church van obviously takes McCowan as a serious candidate. Whether or not the people who carried out this attempt at political intimidation are connected directly to the Slay campaign or not will have to be seen (if anything is ever found out, that is.)
Is competition from the Green Party even competition? Had Slay even heard of this guy before this morning? I mean…come on. When you live in Baden, this is bound to happen sooner or later….
Usually, I wouldn’t believe a word Jeff Rainford said. If Rainford told me the sky was blue, I’d expect to walk outside and it would be yellow. But, in this case, he’s right: the stupidity of blaming Slay for a van torched in Baden is incredible.
It’s a shame it didn’t render Rainford completely speechless, only almost speechless. What a refreshing change for the better that would have been.
I don’t think any mainstream candidate feels threatened by any of the Green Party members. The comment McCowan made demonstrates why.
Too bad, too, because I’d like to see a strong Green Party here in Missouri.