St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced her resignation on Twitter, effective June 1. Gardner, the first African American chief prosecutor in the city, has been facing increasing pressure to resign in recent months.
Globalist and left-wing mega-donor Soros bankrolled Gardner in 2016 and during her 2020 re-election campaign, The New York Post reports.
In her Thursday resignation letter, Gardner suggested that her presence in power was linked to the Missouri Legislature’s attempts to take control of the circuit attorney’s office and return control of the city’s police force to the state.
She stated, “It is not the first time the legislature has proposed bills that would take away our city’s power — that has happened in nearly every legislative session since I took office. It is also clear to me, however, that as long as I remain in the office, it will not be the last.”
Gardner expressed her willingness to withstand personal attacks, but she could not allow the people of St. Louis to be disenfranchised or her office’s work to be shut down by “outsiders.”
She emphasized the importance of the city’s residents having a voice in their criminal justice system and the need for the office to continue its operations.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has been leading legal efforts to remove Gardner from office, resulting in indirect criminal contempt cases and a number of resignations within her office.
One St. Louis judge referred to the situation as a “rudderless ship of chaos.”
Shortly after Gardner’s announcement, Bailey issued a statement insisting that she step down immediately: “There is absolutely no reason for the Circuit Attorney to remain in office until June 1. We remain undeterred with our legal quest to forcibly remove her from office. Every day she remains puts the city of St. Louis in more danger,” he said.
“How many victims will there be between now and June 1? How many defendants will have their constitutional rights violated? How many cases will continue to go unprosecuted?”
In her resignation letter, Gardner expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the people of St. Louis and detailed her accomplishments during her tenure.
She also warned of coordinated efforts to take away the rights of citizens in states with poverty and disinvestment, emphasizing that they were willing to sacrifice democracy to achieve their goals.
Gardner concluded her letter by saying, “The most powerful weapon I have to fight back against these outsiders stealing your voices and your rights is to step back. I took this job to serve the people of the City of St. Louis, and that’s still my North star.”
She then confirmed her resignation as Circuit Attorney, effective June 1st.
