Dont ComplyAccording to a Spectrum News report, federal prosecutors say former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner ordered employees of the Circuit Attorney's Office to write checks totaling $5,004.33 from an official account. The money reimbursed what she had paid the Missouri Supreme Court in her disciplinary case. The diversion agreement, signed in July and released Oct. 23, 2024, states the money was deposited in her personal account and used for personal expenses unrelated to her job. She will avoid federal prosecution if she repays the costs and breaks no laws for 18 months. U.S. Attorney Sayler Fleming called it a just and fair outcome. The state auditor's office, which is still reviewing her tenure, said its audit report will be released by the end of the year. Gardner's response was not reported.
Why it matters
Public funds were used, by Gardner's admission in the diversion agreement, for personal expenses. The state audit of her office is still pending, so further findings are possible.
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