Greg McCauley, a candidate for Pennsylvania’s Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, spoke with VISTA Today about being born locally but growing up in Washington, D.C., after his father joined the Eisenhower Administration as an attorney.

McCauley went to a boarding school in England, became a star rugby player, and was taught to learn with the Socratic method. He graduated from Saint Joseph’s University and Widener Law School and got his big break clerking for a Federal Court Judge. McCauley then joined his father’s firm in Philadelphia, working in litigation and landfill cases investigating haulers and dumpers of toxic waste, before opening his own firm in 1987. He decided to run for office because, “I’m worried our children’s future!”

Where were you born or where did you grow up, Greg?

I was born in Delaware county hospital and lived in Overbrook for a few months before we all moved to Washington D.C. because my dad joined the Eisenhower administration as an attorney.  My mom was a homemaker.

What memories do you have of growing up in Washington D.C.?  

My dad was appointed by President Eisenhower to the SEC.  Although I was very young, I remember living in Washington on 1^st & D Street.  The Congressional office building was directly across the street from our house and I can remember playing in the parking lot with my brothers.

Funny coincidence, when Maureen and I went to Washington to meet people about organizing the campaign, we got out of the cab right on 1^st street just up from D street.  I had this funny feeling hit me, the surroundings looked familiar, and as I looked around, I realized I was standing in my old neighborhood, staring at the home we lived in so many years ago.  I saw my bedroom window and I remember looking out and seeing that huge building across the way, and there was the parking lot I played on so many years ago.  The best part, that big office building across the street, that is the Congressional office building.  My future office was directly across from my old bedroom window.  I stared at the Congressional office building every morning as a child, soon I’ll be working there!

Did you play any sports?

I played them all.  I always wanted to join every team soccer and football, track and baseball. I loved sports because of the competition.  My mom had a valve missing in her heart when I was growing up, so my dad arranged for us to go to boarding school while she had surgery.  During that time, I became an excellent rugby player. On my first day of school in England, they made us go on a 3-mile run. I was the first student to finish that run. After that, the gym teacher told me to go over and join the rugby team, which I eventually became the Captain. I excelled in the sport. Our team went on to be written up in (England’s) “Rugby World” magazine.

Why did they choose you the Captain?

I went over and tackled the then Captain, and everyone on the team was very impressed! I was seventeen at the time, coming off football season, and I saw myself as an outsider. Those guys had all grown up together and played rugby together since they were kids. They were the Harlem Globetrotters of rugby. I had a lot of fun playing with them, and we shared many successes.

Were you a good student as well?

I grew to become a good student during my time there. The teachers spent time to really focus on the students and taught us to learn with the Socratic method.  I remember a teacher who would ask me questions to drive me to the right answer, rather than just give it to me. The school and its dedicated teachers really helped me to become a better student.

Did you have any jobs when you were growing up?

My grandfather on my mother’s side was an Italian immigrant. When I was 10, I began working with my grandfather. He was a stonemason and plasterer, and he taught me the value of hard work and discipline. I remember my grand ma would make us a huge breakfast before we went to work, pack our lunches, and then have a big dinner waiting for us when we returned home from work.  All handmade! My grandfather came here with nothing, and he worked hard and raised a family. He is one of my greatest role models.  He taught me family values.

What kind of music were you listening to when you were a teenager?

I was listening to a variety of music! Like everyone else at the time, I was listening to the Beatles and the Eagles.

Where did you go to college?

I knew I wanted to be close to home and commute, so I went to St. Joseph’s University.  All my brothers went to St Joe’s.   As a Catholic, St. Joe’s Jesuit values were a good fit for me.  After that, I went to Widener Law School.

What made you choose law as a profession?

I always wanted to be just like my dad!  My dad was a lawyer, so that was the path.  I also like to help people, so I thought it was perfect for me.

Who is gave you your big break?

I clerked for U.S. Federal Court Judge James McGirr Kelly.  He was perhaps my best mentor.  He was patient and guided my maturity in law as he did with all his clerks.  I was his first law clerk and he was a treasure.  He wins best boss ever!

After I left Judge Kelly, I joined my dad’s firm, Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley in Philadelphia, and worked in litigation and landfill cases investigating haulers and dumpers of toxic waste.  My Dad’s partner, Marvin Comisky mentored me too.  I learned pragmatic thinking from his stewardship in a one-on-one setting.  He would call and ask me up for coffee and we would sit and talk about things.  He was always trying to guide the young lawyers to grow intellectually and mature personally. When I was ready to leave the firm, I asked Marvin to talk to my dad because I knew he wouldn’t want me to leave, but he had to know I was ready.

When did you open your own practice?

I opened my own practice in March 1987. I love being my own boss.  I’m a very passionate advocate for my clients and love to work hard! I liked to ask my clients what they expected as a result for their case. When I accept their case, I would always do my best to exceed their expectations. I’m very competitive, I love to win, so I want to blow their expectations away. I treat my clients like my family.

What made you decide to run for Congress?

I’m worried about our children’s future!  This race is all about the future, the economic issues are critical, like student loan debt, the deficit, and the budget.  I do budgets for my clients everyday and what I’m seeing has me very concerned, so much so, I have been propelled into this race.  Congress establishes the budget for the country and I will guide them to balance it.  Our children deserve to live the American Dream we lived, the opportunity for a good job and a chance to do better than their parents.  We lost that in the past decade, I want to Restore it!

Everything in Washington is a crisis – the deficit, the budget, health care, student loans, immigration, and the opioid crisis.  I have original thoughts to settle these issues and bring common sense solutions to Congress.  I want to solve these problems and stop the partisan bickering. It is not fair to hand our children a $21 trillion-dollar deficit, a budget that’s not balanced, 64,000 people dying from opioids, student loan interest rates that are 6.8 to 13 percent with interest payments so high they can’t pay them, and an immigration situation where there are 22 million people here illegally not paying taxes.

I will work with members of Congress on both sides of the issues to stop kicking the can down the road and let debt spiral out of control.  I have common sense solutions we can all agree to.  Like every business, the government must balance its budget and treat the hard-working taxpayers’ money with respect.

I have a compassionate, original idea to settle the illegal immigration crisis.  Let’s issue worker visas which the applicant will pay a fee to obtain.  This will allow small business to hire them and for them to work here for a set period.  It is not a path to citizenship, amnesty or chain migration.  We will know who is here, where they live, and work for the first time.  They will pay tax of about $50 Billion every year which will sustain Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  Finally, we can secure our boarders and stop the drugs and human trafficking.

I have an original plan to solve the student loan debt crisis:  Let’s lower Student loan interest rates to 2 – 3% so the borrowers can pay their obligations and live the American Dream.  The high debt payments have stolen the American Dream from the next generation. The millennials cannot afford to buy an engagement ring, get married, raise a family, or buy a home because they are buried in student loan debt with very high interest rates. We need to address the huge default rate before it becomes an economic bubble and bursts.

We must immediately address the high costs of healthcare which are financially crushing individuals and businesses.  We all want pre-existing conditions covered, coverage to continue when we are sick and cannot work or afford to pay our premiums because of an illness.  These are very complex issues and we must solve them now by cutting every line item cost possible, and find creative solutions to lower the costs, so we can all have affordable healthcare.  I don’t know if repeal is the answer or if a fix is the answer, but I will look at the issue from every angle to solve the crisis. Since Obama-Care started, costs are out of control all over the country.  Congress is failing us again, it’s time for change! We need to rein in costs, so that small business can afford to maintain their coverage for their employees.  We all want affordable health care coverage!  I will work to solve the crisis.

Our elected officials need to solve problems, rather than kick the can down the road.  The dysfunction and bickering are unacceptable!  We expect Congress to work together and across the aisle to solve our problems; I will do just that!

What have you enjoyed most about being on the campaign trail?

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting the countless great people in our community.  I cannot thank them enough for their hospitality and good wishes. Thank you again!  People want term limits!  They want kitchen table economics, a balanced budget, a strong economy, good paying jobs, and they want to raise their families with a chance to succeed. We all want the same things.

Finally, Greg, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

I remember it like it was yesterday, I was nervous as I sat down to talk to my dad about getting married.  It was first thing in the morning and I told him I wanted to get married to (my wife) Maureen.  He didn’t hesitate, he said, “Maureen is the perfect person for you, we all wonder what you’ve been waiting for.”  Then he said, “Let me be the first to Congratulate you and DON’T EVER LET HER GO!”  Of course, he was right, again!

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Publisher’s note: Look for a Chester County Leadership profile of Chrissy Houlahan, McCauley’s Democratic opponent, Thursday morning on VISTA Today.