The Missouri State Auditor has suspended a multi-year audit of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office after failing to locate former circuit attorney Kim Gardner, an extremist and Soros associate who allegedly mismanaged funds during her tenure. It’s not finished yet.
The audit of Gardner’s office began in 2021 under former Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D) as part of a citywide audit initiated by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. AP report. The audit has since continued under Republican state auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, who took office last year.
“She knows there are questions that only she can answer. She knows that she has the answers that the people of St. Louis deserve, but so far she has not responded to our requests. Not only is she not making an effort to respond, but she seems to be deliberately evasive.” We are continuing to make various efforts to obtain information that only she can provide. ”
Gardner, who received tens of thousands of dollars for his campaign from groups linked to George Soros, was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. She abruptly resigned in May 2023, as Blaze News previously reported. Criticism from elected officials and the public.
“The most powerful weapon I have against outsiders who steal your voices and your rights is to stand back,” Gardner said at the time. “I went into this job to serve the people of the city of St. Louis, and that remains my north star.”
Even after Gardner resigned, Mr. Fitzpatrick continued to investigate the circuit attorney’s office under Mr. Gardner. He claims to have found evidence of “improper spending” and “mismanagement” of funds and wants Gardner to tell her side of the story, but so far she has not heard from Gardner. has avoided all attempts to contact me. KDSK report.
Fitzpatrick claimed that over the past several months, his office has made daily phone calls, contacted Gardner’s colleagues and attempted to subpoena her numerous times, all to no avail. The Missouri State Auditor believes Gardner intentionally avoided contact with her office.
“Kim Gardner knows we are trying to get the audit done,” he said at a news conference. Press conference on monday. “She knows there are questions that only she can answer. She knows that she has the answers that the people of St. Louis deserve, but so far she has not responded to our requests. Not only is she not making an effort to respond, but she seems to be deliberately evasive.” We are continuing to make various efforts to obtain information that only she can provide. ”
“It’s important that we have Kim Gardner answer in some way during her time as circuit attorney,” Fitzpatrick continued. “It has become clear that Kim Gardner does not wish to plead during her time as circuit attorney.”
Fitzpatrick said he had enough material to complete the audit, but said he hoped Gardner would provide “additional clarity.” He noted that Gardner partially cooperated with an audit-related subpoena in 2023, before leaving office, providing some requested documents but not others. The audit has so far cost taxpayers an estimated $188,000.
On Monday, The Associated Press reached out to Mr. Gardner for comment at a “mobile number believed to be associated,” but did not receive a response.
During his tenure, Gardner was accused of financial mismanagement as well as neglecting his responsibility to prosecute criminals. In 2020, she infamously accused Mark and Patricia McCloskey, a white couple who armed themselves to protect their property from a mob of Black Lives Matter agitators.Republican Governor Mike Parson later took office. forgiven they.
As a circuit attorney, Gardner had also refused to take on cases. dozens of police officers A person who allegedly made racist or Islamophobic comments on social media.
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