Baker
Eric James Sayward, June 13, 1972 -
VP candidate for Independent (2016)
Running mate with nominee: Edward Lane Baker
Popular vote: ? (0.00%)
Electoral vote: 0/538
The campaign:
Ed Baker of Portland, Or. filed with the FEC Aug. 3, 2014 as an Independent ("I'm not a member of any political party, secret society or the CIA") for the 2016 Presidential election. Baker was born in [PNW Trivia Alert!!!] Milwaukie, Or.
Baker's autobiography was provided on his webpage, and you have to give him points for being open about his past--
I've had some challenges in my life and made some poor decisions that I can't take back. While I'm not proud of those decisions I am open about them. I am thankful for getting help for problems that I have had.
As far back as I can remember I have been a gambler. I remember looking at the "Latest Line" in the Sports section of the newspaper every morning and picking which baseball teams would win. I was probably 9 years old at the time. As far as I remember I was very good at picking the winners. I would watch the Megabucks and Powerball drawings on TV every Saturday... probably just before American Gladiators was on. I would get the Dog Racing book and pick the dogs that would win, place and show. At age 12 I was going to the dog track to watch. On my 18th Birthday I bought a 4 spot Keno Ticket and hit all 4 numbers on my first $1 ever played.
I played in a Texas Hold'em league that was for fun and for prizes. I was pretty good. I then started playing at the casino and online. I then got into Roulette... a little Black Jack and Video Poker which never appealed to me. Point is... I was into it pretty deep. I was losing a lot of money... and a lot of time. It cost a lot in a lot of ways.
In 2008 I was managing a convenience store & gas station. My grandma had become ill and went from our home to a hospital, then to a Rehabilitation place and then to an Assisted Living where she still lives today. She was paying the majority of the family bills prior to this. My parents were both sick... and I had just found out that I had a child. I felt a ton of pressure. The answer seemed to be that I better go win some money at the casino. I got into money that wasn't mine. I lost money that wasn't mine. I was fired from my job. That night I gave a statement to the police and was charged with Felony Theft I. The very next day I went out and got two jobs through staffing agencies. I worked for both of them until my plea bargain went through and I was formally convicted of the crime. I was honest with both of the companies I was working for and they were OK with my returning. I was also honest with my Staffing agencies and both of them terminated me as a result. I have never worked a "normal job" since.
The terms of my plea deal were to do 15 days in jail, 2 years probation, the $3200 restitution and pay my attorney fees, etc. I also had some other rules about my bank accounts and not being able to spend over $100 without permission, etc. Nothing about Theft or Gambling. Knowing I had lost my jobs my honest thought was "I guess I better get good at Poker".
During my two weeks in jail my dad passed away. It was awful to not be there for him or for my mom during this time. The day I got out of jail his obituary was in the paper. I went to the Probation Office. The Probation Officer asked me why I committed the crime. I told her about my gambling addiction. She immediately mandated that I get treatment for the addiction and abstain from gambling. If I gambled for money or not for money during my time on probation I would go back to jail. I was so thankful for this mandate. I wanted the help and it was now required.
The State of Oregon has free Gambling Counseling. My counselor was amazing. I didn't have the desire to gamble anymore anyway, but together we were able to address the reasons for my gambling addiction. After two years of one-on-one and group counseling I "graduated" the program. Shortly after that my counselor opened his own practice. I was his first client and continued to see him for another year or so. I'm so thankful for his help.
I don't know if it was a "perfect storm" that got me the help I needed or what... but I am thankful to be healthier now than I was before this conviction. This path was very painful. It hurt a lot of people. It cost me a lot.
My mom died in 2011. In May 2012 I became homeless. The place I was living (where my family had lived for 34 years) kicked me out because of my felony. I was homeless from May 2012 until July 2013. I was fortunate to have places to stay for most of that time... and I was given a Van to live in. With the help of a number of people I survived. The counselor that helped me with my Gambling was able to find me resources to help with overcoming homelessness. In July 2013 I got an apartment. I am very thankful for the resources and people that helped me overcome homelessness.
This Felony can be expunged, it's just a matter of having the money to complete that process. I've also been asked by a number of people if a felon can be President. The answer is YES. I can't change the past and I won't allow that to stop me from doing what is right for myself and the country now and in the future.
I haven't had it as bad as a lot of people I have seen throughout this process. I do have some first hand prospective on the challenges that our communities, citizens and their loved ones face with addiction, poverty and homelessness.
I will passionately work to address these important issues as President.
Baker's platform included--
-Opening an investigation into the 9/11 attacks. His Truther conspiracy beliefs was seen one of his most visible issues.
-Deport illegal aliens.
-Support gun culture.
-Reduce foreign aid.
-"I believe strongly in punishing the bad guys in America. People who threaten, intimidate or abuse Women, Men, Children or Animals need to have stronger punishment. People who Murder, Rape, Molest Children, Illegally Enter, Traffic or Deal Hardcore Drugs need to be put to death. Violent gangs need to be broken up and taken out. Cartels need to be extinct in America. It's like this... if I become President you will have two choices... get straight or get punished. I'll work with every state to help them get the resources necessary to combat crime. I will strongly punish anyone in positions of authority who abuse their power. If a police officer witnesses another officer committing a crime and doesn't take action against them they too will receive strong punishments. It's time to do the right thing."
-"One way to reduce the Prison population is to use Capital Punishment on Rapists, Murderers, Child Molesters and those who Traffic or Deal Hardcore Drugs."
-Legalize marijuana.
-Require GMO labeling.
-Provide mental health help to everyone who needs it.
-Pro term limits.
-Pardon Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden.
-Restore convicted felons right to vote.
-Reduce classroom sizes and less students per teacher.
-More Drilling for oil in America.
-"English should be the only language used in the United States for executing transactions, services or obtaining information. We need to stop catering to people who don't speak English. We can monitor this similar to how the Liquor Commission monitors Alcohol transactions. Send around people and if they are helped in a language other than English for a Transaction, Service or Information have that company and the violating employee be Fined significantly."
-"I am very passionate in my Support of those who wish to proudly display the Confederate Flag."
-Ending the Federal Reserve.
-Ending Private Prisons.
-Repeal Obamacare.
-Pro Gay marriage.
-Supports the militia movement.
Baker also had a special shirt printed that stated "No One Died at Sandy Hook" and embraced geoengineering theories as well as siding with the anti-vaxxers. He also promoted a petition declaring that "Black Lives Matter should be recognized as a Terrorist Organization." Shortly after the election he expressed a belief that the "Pizzagate" conspiracy was very real and conventional news was covering up the "child pedophile and cannibal ring." His social media liked to link to conspiracy culture and Christian polemic sources. He issued a dire warning on Nov. 17, 2015--
Be ready for the next major False Flag Attack on American Soil... you can feel it coming. Don't buy into what the mainstream media tells you... pay attention to the International reports and what the alternative media has to say. First response should be to question everything and to call out the mainstream media and the politicians on their B.S. I don't know if we are going to make it to election day before things get completely out of hand in this country. I will tell you right now that we certainly won't make it 5 more years, of this evil agenda being in place, without our Country being nothing like it is today... let alone like it was 20 years ago.
I have a feeling that a Nuclear Attack will be in the near future.
Again, it will most likely be people on our payroll and people we trust to protect us that plan, execute and cover it up.
He started a GoFundMe page for his campaign and raised $585.
Eric Sayward of Mesa, Ariz. (transplanted from Wisconsin and originally from Brooklyn, NY) was announced as Baker's running-mate on Nov. 5, 2015, which was just about the same time the VP had migrated to the Southwest. He filed with the FEC for the position of Vice-President in Jan. 2016. Sayward's own extensive criminal record made Baker's look rather pale in comparison, and at the time Sayward was the VP nominee he had at left behind at least one outstanding warrant back in Wisconsin. Most of his crimes involved alcohol, debt, and domestic violence. Sayward was also a self-described Rap artist known as "Way," and once told a reporter he had been a gang member in La Crosse, Wis. in the early 1990s.
Like Baker, Sayward was also a Truther activist and also interested in alleged chemtrails.
On Oct. 23, 2016, Baker's Facebook entry began with--
I have began filling out my ballot and have made my selection for President of the United States. If you are considering voting for Edward Baker, and your ballot requires the name for both President and Vice President - my Running Mate is Eric Sayward.
If you are in a state that doesn't allow you the option to write in Edward Baker - I encourage you to vote for a 3rd Party candidate who you are able to vote for.
While I don't think that Donald Trump is the best option - I do think he is far less evil than Hillary Clinton. I would say if you are in a "Swing State" you might factor that in to your decision.
In Jan. 2021 Baker expressed interest in filing with the FEC to run in the Republican primaries for President in 2024. Meanwhile, Sayward's web presence has all but evaporated.
Election history:
2010 - US House of Representatives (Wis.) (Independent) - defeated
Other occupations: Wisconsin National Guard, web developer, We Are Change Wisconsin, wedding videographer, rap artist
Notes:
Sayward's 2010 campaign seems to have been an under the radar event.
