George Soros-funded St. Louis prosecutor Kim Gardner, a radical, soft-on-crime circuit attorney who has drawn headlines for her handling of a number of criminal cases, is out.
According to the Associated Press, Gardner announced her resignation this week, to take effect on June 1.
The news comes less than a month after Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) took administrative steps to have her removed from office finally.
The embattled circuit attorney released a lengthy statement announcing the shocking news, and of course, added that she believes she was racially targeted.
— Circuit Attorney (@stlcao) May 4, 2023
"Unfortunately, since the time I took office, as the first Black, female prosecutor in the State, people outside of the city have targeted me and, to advance their goals, have also targeted the fundamental rights of the city’s voters," she said in the statement.
"I can absorb those attacks, and I have. But I can neither enable nor allow the outright disenfranchisement of the people of the City of St. Louis, nor can I allow these outsiders to effectively shut down our important work," she added. "If not for these two things, I would continue to fight tirelessly to maintain the job you selected me to serve."
"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," Gardner concluded. "And so, it is with a heavy heart but steadfast resolve that I am resigning my position as your Circuit Attorney, effective June 1st."
Earlier in April, Bailey made it crystal clear that he wanted her out, for the sake of the residents of St. Louis.
"As Attorney General, I want to protect the people of St. Louis, and that includes ensuring prosecutors protect the public," Bailey said at the time. "We gave Circuit Attorney Gardner the chance to do the right thing and resign, she has refused to do so, and my office filed a quo warrant at 12:01 PM to remove her from office immediately."
ICYMI:
Cheers to Missouri @AGAndrewBailey for chasing from office the dangerous @GeorgeSoros-backed @StLouisCityCA @KimGardnerSTL.
The GOP-dominated state legislature must strip @stlcao of power.
Cancerous tumor in the state.
Earn power.
Use power.https://t.co/vsACXc8Z4h
— 🇺🇸 Mike Davis 🇺🇸 (@mrddmia) May 5, 2023
Many across social media celebrated Gardner's surprise resignation announcement.
"And so it ends. Thank you, Ms. Gardner, for finally stepping up & doing the right thing. But a note to the voters of STL - we do not need a public defender or social justice warrior masquerading as circuit attorney. We've been given another chance - let's not squander it. The future of STL depends upon it," one Twitter user wrote.
"She has presided over miscarriages of justice for years, hurting countless victims who put their trust in her and letting dangerous criminals escape the accountability they deserve," U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner said. "St. Louis will be better off without her."