ST. LOUIS–Missouri Gov. Mike Parson made what may have been his first public comments Thursday about a pair of bills advancing in the House and Senate which would allow him to name a special prosecutor to handle cases of violent crime in the city of St. Louis and would also see control of the city’s police force shift back to a state-appointed board after ten years of local control.

What You Need To Know

  • Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick issued a subpoena Thursday after he said Gardner and her office failed to turn over documents tied to a city audit. A Gardner spokesperson said it has cooperated with all requests from the Auditor and was surprised by the subpoena.
  • Gov. Parson said in St. Louis that bills in the Missouri state legislature that would allow him to name a special prosecutor for violent crimes in St. Louis and also return control of St. Louis Police to a state-appointed board were part of a "legitimate discussion", but did not commit to signing the bills if they come to his desk.
  • The special prosecutor bill has already passed the House, while the SLMPD control bill needs another House vote before going to the Senate.
  • Parson said if it came to naming an interim Circuit Attorney, either after Gardner's resignation or removal, he would consult with St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and other St. Louis officials

The House gave initial passage Wednesday to the police control bill sponsored by State Rep. Brad Christ R-Sappington, with some St. Louis area Democrats joining the GOP supermajority. The special prosecutor provision was in a larger House public safety bill which has already cleared the House and hasn’t yet moved out of a Senate committee.

Talking to reporters after a ceremonial bill signing for legislation that this week gave state employees an 8.7% pay raise, Parson said it was too early to talk hypotheticals about potentially signing the bills. As recently as last fall, Parson has talked about wanting the state to partner with the St. Louis region to address crime issues and not necessarily take over. He said Thursday the bills were part of a “legitimate discussion” for lawmakers.

 

 

 

 

Parson said it was time “to move on” from Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who he’d already called on to resign over her office’s failure to address violent crime issues, which he said was highlighted by the situation surrounding Janae Edmondson, the Tennessee teenager who lost her legs in a car accident police say was caused by an armed robbery suspect, Daniel Riley, who violated the terms of his bond more than fifty times. 

Gardner, who now faces removal proceedings initiated by the Missouri Attorney General’s office, has said that more could have been done in handling Riley’s armed robbery case, but also  claimed that the judge in the case also bore responsibility. Parson agreed with that Thursday..

“It’s a judge’s bond, so I’m not going to let anyone have a free pass at this so I’m not going to let anybody just have a free pass on this. The system failed in that particular case,” he said. “When you start talking about violent felons, that’s not what were supposed to do is just let them go back out on the streets and especially time and time again. This particular case, this kid committed felonies and to have fifty attempts to get him back off the street and the system failed, period.”

Gardner has said she will focus on serving the people who elected her and describes the Attorney General’s actions as a political stunt. She has yet to officially respond to the removal proceedings in court. She has less than two weeks left to submit a response. The appeals court judge hearing the case in the 22nd Circuit ruled Gardner can remain in office while the matter plays out. Court records show the Attorney General’s office has scheduled several videotaped depositions with Gardner and her deputies.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, one of Gardner’s key allies, last week said Gardner needed to do “some soul searching” about whether she wanted to remain in office amid the controversy. Asked Wednesday about the situation Jones referred back to her previous comments, noting the office needed to improve.

Aldermanic Board President Megan Green, another progressive Democrat and a Gardner ally said Wednesday she wouldn’t support Gardner’s resignation over concerns about who Parson, a Republican, would appoint as an interim Circuit Attorney.

Parson told reporters Thursday he would work with Jones and other St. Louis officials, to get feedback in the event he was in position to name a Circuit Attorney.

Late Thursday afternoon, Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s office said it was issuing a subpoena to Gardner and her office after it missed a Feb. 14 deadline to produce financial statements, policy guidelines and other information as part of an ongoing audit of the city.

"Serious questions have been raised about the performance of Kim Gardner's office, and the fact that she refuses to produce basic financial documents for review is extremely concerning. The people of St. Louis, through their Board of Aldermen, have requested this audit, so when Ms. Gardner continues to evade her responsibility to produce critical documents as requested, she isn't just refusing to cooperate with the State Auditor's office, she's also refusing to cooperate with her own constituents," Fitzpatrick said.

A spokesperson for the Circuit Attorney's office told Spectrum News Thursday that the office has cooperated with all requests from the auditor. 

"Today's subpoena was a surprise, however, our office is committed to comply with with all requests related to its audit of the office."