ST. LOUIS — Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner spurned an ultimatum from Missouri’s attorney general on Thursday, declining to step down and claiming that calls for her resignation are a “political stunt.”
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Wednesday gave Gardner the ultimatum to resign by noon Thursday or face removal through a "quo warranto" petition. She did not resign, and Bailey filed the petition.
The city's chief prosecutor then spoke to reporters Thursday afternoon at a chaotic news conference in a packed mezzanine outside her office that featured shouting from a crowd of supporters, applause and heckling of reporters.
It was the first time Gardner has spoken publicly since a chorus of allies and adversaries began calling for her resignation after years of scandals and upheaval.
The tipping point was the case of Daniel Riley: a 21-year-old man accused of robbery who was still free on bond despite violating his bond dozens of times when he caused a crash this past weekend in downtown St. Louis that pinned an out-of-town volleyball player between two cars. Both of her legs were amputated.
"The buck stops with my office and we did our job," Gardner said. "Could we do more? We could. But did we do nothing? That is not true."
Gardner again blamed judges for not revoking Riley's bond and lamented that prosecutors' handling of the case sparked such political vitriol.
"My office cannot make a judge revoke bond for a defendant," she said. "It is particularly frustrating that the willful ignorance has empowered the ongoing harassment of the hardworking men and women in my office who handle cases."
She said the barrage of criticism was part of a pattern of attacks on her office from people who "have an agenda to make sure that my office does not succeed."
When asked how she would respond to Mayor Tishaura O. Jones' comments Wednesday that Gardner had "lost the trust of the people," Gardner's supporters jumped to her defense.
"She never lost it!" one woman shouted from the crowd.
"We'll answer the question for her: We're here to support her, and we stand behind her 100%," another man yelled to boisterous applause.
Ultimately, Gardner said the next election — scheduled for fall 2024 — would decide whether she'd lost the public's trust.
"I think the people should speak for themselves," she said.
