JEFFERSON CITY — After 18 applications and five interviews, Gov. Mike Parson is set to announce his pick for the next ºüÀêÊÓƵ circuit attorney at 11 a.m. Friday at the Carnahan Courthouse in downtown ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
The news conference, outside the circuit attorney’s office, will come three days after Kimberly M. Gardner, a Democrat, abruptly resigned.
Names that have circulated as possible replacements include ºüÀêÊÓƵ Circuit Judges Paula Bryant and Michael Noble; Associate Circuit Judge Nicole Colbert-Botchway; former Circuit Judge Michael Mullen; former prosecutor Marvin Teer; former federal prosecutor Gabriel Gore, and current federal prosecutor Ashley Walker; private attorneys Raphael O. Morris and David Mueller; and state Sen. Steven Roberts Jr.
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Parson last week announced an online application for the appointment, setting a noon Monday deadline.
“We truly want the best person for the job who can restore law and order to our great city of ºüÀêÊÓƵ,†Parson said.
The Republican governor listed four qualities he would look for in the winning applicant: a commitment to the written rule of law, strong managerial experience, record of fair and just application of state and local law, and that the person be a member of the ºüÀêÊÓƵ community.
Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones said Thursday that the office scheduled six interviews for the position, but only five were conducted before the governor made his selection.
Parson invited U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming, Attorney General Andrew Bailey, ºüÀêÊÓƵ Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, police Chief Robert Tracy, Circuit Judge Elizabeth Hogan and ºüÀêÊÓƵ Sheriff Vernon Betts to the announcement, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
His office said state Director of Public Safety Sandra Karsten and Highway Patrol Col. Eric Olson will also be on hand.
The Friday announcement will cap a week of developments in the circuit attorney saga.
On Monday, Gardner tried to grant ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell all the powers of her office before she stepped down, saying he would act as interim and transition manager.
Gardner submitted the handwritten order to Hogan for her approval, but she didn’t sign it.
By Tuesday, Gardner announced her resignation, about two weeks earlier than expected, accelerating Parson’s timeline.
Parson general counsel Evan Rodriguez has led the circuit attorney’s office on an temporary basis since Gardner resigned.
Lawyers for the attorney general’s office walked the halls of the courthouse Wednesday, handling the office’s docket on the first day in six years Gardner had not been at the helm.
Asked about Gardner’s attempt to turn her office over to Bell, ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Executive Sam Page said Thursday he wasn’t aware of that other than a general “mutual aide†agreement.
“In the short term, if a neighboring jurisdiction asks for help, I think it’s a good idea to help,†Page said.
Page added that he had several conversations with Bell about ways to support the city, but didn’t know about the memo from Gardner’s office asking Bell to take over operations until he read about it in the newspaper.
The county executive said ºüÀêÊÓƵ County will readily collaborate with the governor’s appointee.
State audit continues
Also Thursday, State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, a Republican, said his office would continue an audit of the circuit attorney’s office launched as part of the state auditor’s comprehensive review of city finances.
The state auditor issued a subpoena to the circuit attorney’s office on March 2 for information including bank and credit card statements, policy guidelines, and other spending information, according to a news release.
The information was originally requested on Jan. 23, Fitzpatrick said.
His office said Thursday that the auditor’s office initially contacted the circuit attorney’s office in June 2021 to obtain and review records.
Fitzpatrick’s news release Thursday said the March 2 subpoena yielded some records, but that the circuit attorney’s office ignored or attempted to delay the release of other records. The news release said he sent a subpoena to the circuit attorney’s financial institutions on Monday.
“One way or another, Kim Gardner will have to answer for her time as Circuit Attorney,†Fitzpatrick said. “Her sudden resignation doesn’t negate the duty my office has to make sure the ºüÀêÊÓƵ Circuit Attorney’s Office is transparent and accountable.â€
Kelsey Landis of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.