Joe Holleman
Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In St. Louis for photo-op stops on Tuesday, Gov. Mike Parson avoided the best-laid plans of mass media, deftly declining to shed new light on two local issues that now are occupying state officials.
“Some things need to change up here,” Parson said when asked specifically about the state’s effort to oust Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner from office, as well as the legislative move to regain control of the city police department.
As to the Gardner situation, Parson described Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who leads the ouster effort, as “an extremely efficient guy,” but said there is little inside information to share.
“Everything is pretty much a public record,” Parson said, referring to two filings Bailey has made in the quo warranto process.
Should that process result in Gardner losing his job, Parson said he was not committed to appointing anyone other than “the best candidate that’ll do the best job.”
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On state control of the police, Parson deflected a question about whether he would sign or veto such legislation, saying the issue still was being debated.
“We’ll see,” he said.
Parson made the comments Tuesday afternoon at the new Creve Coeur headquarters of KNOWiNK, an election software company. St. Louis County Executive Sam Page also was at the ribbon-cutting.
In his opening remarks, Parson noted that company officials had said they were hiring.
“In a few more months,” said Parson, whose term ends in January 2025, “I might be coming by.”
Kimberly Gardner is the first Black St. Louis circuit attorney. She was first elected in 2016. A brief look at her career and controversies. Video by Beth O'Malley
