St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner, a George Soros-backed prosecutor, announced her resignation from office effective June 1st. In her resignation letter, Gardner cited a coordinated effort by outside forces to undermine her work and the democratic rights of St. Louis voters.
Gardner, who was the first Black, female prosecutor in the State, said, “Since the time I took office…people outside of the city have targeted me and, to advance their goals, have also targeted the fundamental rights of the city’s voters.”
She added that a proposed bill by the Missouri State Legislature to remove the right of every St. Louis voter to elect their Circuit Attorney and give the Governor the power to appoint the chief prosecutor is “a more direct or brutal assault on our democracy, one that mirrors the attacks in Jackson, Mississippi, and throughout Florida.”
Gardner went on to say that the proposed bill is part of a long-standing strategy to undermine her efforts to make St. Louis safer and fairer. “I have experienced attacks on my reforms, on my judgment, on my integrity, on my prosecutorial discretion, on my responsibility to direct the limited resources of this office and more,” she said.
WIN: Soros backed circuit attorney Kim Gardner forced to resign for neglecting her duties.
“The circuit attorney had faced legal battles on numerous fronts via Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s drive to remove her from office and indirect criminal contempt cases, and a… pic.twitter.com/joA3TnKh5F
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 4, 2023
Gardner received financial support in the past from political action committees (PACs) associated with progressive billionaire George Soros. These PACs have backed candidates and officials who support criminal justice reform and reducing mass incarceration. Gardner has publicly acknowledged receiving financial support from these PACs, but has stated that she makes all decisions in her office independently, without outside influence.
— Circuit Attorney (@stlcao) May 4, 2023
The Circuit Attorney also highlighted the importance of the elected prosecutor position in St. Louis, stating that it is the city’s “sole opportunity to have a say in its community’s criminal justice system.” She expressed her concern that if the bill were to pass, it would lead to the “outright disenfranchisement of the people of the City of St. Louis.”
Gardner acknowledged that she could absorb the attacks on her but could not “enable nor allow the outright disenfranchisement of the people of the City of St. Louis.” She added that the most powerful weapon she has to fight back against the outside forces stealing the voices and rights of St. Louis voters is to step back from her position as Circuit Attorney.
“I took this job to serve the people of the City of St. Louis, and that’s still my North star,” Gardner said. “And so, it is with a heavy heart but steadfast resolve that I am resigning my position as your Circuit Attorney.”
The search for her replacement is currently underway.
