ST. LOUIS–A new day. A fresh start. A commitment to restore faith in justice.

Those were some of the takeaways Friday after Missouri Gov. Mike Parson introduced Gabe Gore as the next Circuit Attorney for the city of St. Louis, replacing Kim Gardner, who resigned abruptly Tuesday, ahead of a planned exit date of June 1.

Gore, a partner at Dowd Bennett, and a former federal prosecutor who in private practice has represented Hillary Clinton, Anheuser Busch, Emerson, Laclede Gas and Monsanto, is expected to be sworn in on May 29 or 30. 

“We know there is a need to do better outside the office where we stand today. For far too long dysfunction has plagued this office and the local criminal justice system. This is an opportunity to change course. An opportunity to do better and do better by the people of St. Louis,” Parson said. 

“My sole focus is to begin the process of building a circuit attorney’s office that is high performing and can provide the level of justice and public safety that the citizens of St. Louis deserve,” Gore said. 

That includes building a staff that can have “fulfilling careers” and be among the best in the country. Among the issues which plagued Gardner’s administration was a steady stream of resignations which created untenable workloads, often forcing charges to be dropped and refiled just before trials.

That immediate focus does not include making a decision on seeking the office in 2024. Gore was appointed as a Democrat by former Gov. Jay Nixon to the Ferguson Commission and the board of Missouri State University. Parson said he knew nothing of Gore’s political affiliation and that 2024 did not factor into a decision.

"He decided to give up a high-profile law firm to work for the people of St. Louis," said Gov. Parson. "I don't care about the titles, I care about people being public servants, and I believe that is exactly what hell be."

Gore said he has made no decisions on staff. Since Gardner’s resignation, first announced May 4, area law firms have pledged to help with attorneys and staff on a pro bono basis, and prosecutors from neighboring jurisdictions have said they were willing to contribute to the effort. 

In the interview process for the job, Gore made no specific pitch for how that’s all expected to work, and didn’t appear to have been asked by the governor to commit to a specific structure. 

U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming said her office would also provide resources as needed, prosecuting cases in federal court and assisting in Circuit Court. 

Greater St. Louis Inc. CEO Jason Hall was among those watching the announcement. He praised Gore as “a proven leader, a highly-skilled lawyer. All of that is pointing in the direction of restoring dignity and leadership in the circuit attorney’s office and this moves us in a big direction forward in making a safer St. Louis.” 

Greater St. Louis is coordinating the private sector efforts from area law firms to help staff up the Circuit Attorney’s Office.

Rev. Darryl Gray, a Gardner ally who met with Parson as he mulled the decision, said Gore was “not a first choice” but that he was “vehemently against” another rumored finalist for the post, Circuit Judge Michael Noble, and had been “leaning toward” Circuit Judge Paula Bryant.

Gray wants to know Gore’s position related to bail, diversion and police integrity.

“The governor’s appointment maintains the status quo, and there’s absolutely nothing to persuade the African-American community” that concerns were heard, Gregory told Spectrum News.

Gore’s selection was embraced by Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, who also attended the announcement. State lawmakers pushed during the just-completed legislative session for a bill that would have stripped the circuit attorney’s ability to prosecute violent crimes and given it to a special prosecutor named by the governor for a period of five years. The bill was first introduced in a way that would only apply to St. Louis under current metrics but was amended to potentially apply statewide. When Gardner announced her resignation May 4, the special prosecutor language died in the Senate.

Plocher said he was pleased with Gore’s selection and that the threat of legislation is no longer necessary.

“I don’t think the stick still needs to be out there. I still think it’s good language and it may need to be used decades down the road, I hope never again,” he said, while also indicating that the threat of a move to state control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department was still very much on the table.

“The mayor of this city has a duty to secure this city to support the police. We are fervently behind the police. We want to make sure the police are supported and given the resources that they need to help our new circuit attorney do his job. We have to work as a collaborative team to do that. If that is not done, I can promise you we’ll be pushing that legislation again next session,” Plocher said.

Until Gore is sworn into office by the end of the month, the Circuit Attorney will continue to be led on an interim basis by Evan Rodriguez, Gov. Parson’s General Counsel, with assistance from a team of attorneys from the Attorney General’s office.