JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 If Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey is successful in removing 狐狸视频 Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner from office for failing to uphold her duties, she could go back to voters in the next election and ask for another term.
But, under a proposal floated by a south 狐狸视频 County lawmaker Wednesday, the embattled Democratic prosecutor would be barred from running for circuit attorney again if she鈥檚 booted from office.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe it wasn鈥檛 law before I looked into it,鈥 said Rep. Brad Christ, R-Sappington.
The proposal was added into a crime bill being crafted in the House in the final weeks of the annual legislative session. The package needs another vote in the House before it heads back to the Senate for further debate.
Along with Christ鈥檚 amendment, the legislation also would allow Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, to for certain types of violent crimes in 狐狸视频 and other high-crime jurisdictions in the state.
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Gardner, a former member of the Missouri House, has faced criticism for years for mishandling cases, understaffing and organizational dysfunction. The criticism spiked in February when a 17-year-old volleyball player visiting downtown 狐狸视频 from Tennessee was pinned between two cars in a crash. Both of the girl鈥檚 legs were amputated. The man charged in the crash was free on bond in a pending robbery case despite violating the conditions of his GPS monitor several dozen times.
Bailey, who was appointed attorney general by Republican Gov. Mike Parson, , saying she needs to be removed from the job for failing to prosecute cases by dismissing charges and allowing others to languish, failed to keep victims informed and failed to review thousands of cases submitted by 狐狸视频 police.
Gardner said Bailey is attempting to thwart the will of 狐狸视频 voters, who have elected her twice.
The two sides are preparing for a possible trial in September.
Christ鈥檚 bill would affect all public officials who are removed from office through the proceeding being employed by Bailey.
It鈥檚 a rare occurrence in Missouri. An attorney for Gardner said last week that only 13 previous public officials in the state have been ousted using a legal process known as 鈥渜uo warranto.鈥
Those removals included corrupt officials who misstated public funds, gave kickbacks to friends or 鈥渋ntentionally turned a blind eye toward notorious organized crime due to their own involvement in those same offenses,鈥 the attorney said.
During debate Wednesday, Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, D-狐狸视频, raised concerns that a white lawmaker was targeting a Black prosecutor.
鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing about race in this legislation,鈥 Christ said.
Rather, he said, 鈥淵ou must have done something egregious to be removed.鈥
The legislation is