Kim Gardner steps down from position.

Soros-Backed Prosecutor Kim Gardner Resigns Amid Allegations of Negligence

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who was backed by George Soros, has resigned from her position amid bipartisan calls for her ouster. Gardner faced allegations of negligence, including too many crimes going unpunished and relatives of victims not being notified in many cases. Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey initiated legal action to oust Gardner in February, and in 2022, Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Just the News, John Solomon, won a legal battle against Gardner, forcing her to turn in a large collection of papers that she had concealed after being required to comply with an open-records request.

Gardner’s Resignation Letter

In a letter to Republican Governor Mike Parson, Gardner stated that she will be stepping down and the change will go into effect on June 1st. Her resignation letter, which was made public on Twitter, said that “people outside the city” had “targeted” both her and the “fundamental rights of the city’s voters.” Gardner added that her resignation was in effort to protect her residents’ rights to vote, claiming that political legislation may take away the city’s right to choose its circuit attorney and that outside supervision efforts have damaged the office.

Parson’s Statement

Parson has released a statement that he will immediately begin looking for a replacement and that he is “committed to finding a candidate who represents the community, values public safety, and can help restore faith in the City’s criminal justice system.”

Impact of Gardner’s Tenure

During her tenure in office, Gardner had made headlines for pursuing a lawsuit against Republican former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens. The prosecutor claimed that Greitens had tried to extort money from a former mistress using a lewd photo he had taken during their extramarital affair. Gardner subsequently admitted that she had never actually seen the photo herself. However, Greitens still confessed to the affair, resigned from his position, and denied any criminal culpability. Before the case reached trial, Gardner ultimately dropped all charges. Later, she appeared before a state legal tribunal and acknowledged feeling guilt in the case.

Greitens celebrated news of Gardner’s resignation on Twitter, saying, “Finally, justice. Kim Gardner broke the law and broke countless families under her lawless reign. May she be held fully accountable for her crimes against me, and the people of St. Louis.”