A state audit into the office of former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is currently in limbo because Missouri officials who are investigating how she handled public money say they cannot find her.
The far-left former prosecutor of the city resigned from her job last May under pressure from state lawmakers. Nearly 12 full months later, Gardner is reportedly dodging state officials who are trying to get an accurate account of what went on behind the scenes under her leadership.
Gardner was criticized during her tenure as DA for being soft on criminals and notoriously came into office in 2016 with the support of George Soros.
Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick first began an audit of Gardner’s office in 2021 and he announced when she resigned that he would complete the audit.
“She knew we were prepared to enforce the subpoena in court on May 16 and chose to resign on that exact day,” Fitzpatrick said in a news release on May 18 of last year.
“Even with her decision to step away earlier than expected, we have a duty to the people of St. Louis to complete our assessment of the performance of the Circuit Attorney’s Office,” the state auditor added.
Monday, Fitzpatrick said during a news conference the audit is on hold because no one from his office can get in contact with Gardner to serve her with a subpoena.
Auditor Fitzpatrick met with members of the media today to provide an update on the audit of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office that has been delayed because of Kim Gardner’s unwillingness to make herself available to provide responses to audit staff.
“As I said when she… pic.twitter.com/ZBbOaSnOwP
— Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick (@Auditor_Fitz) May 6, 2024
Is Kim Gardner knowingly avoiding these subpoenas?
“This is a pattern of behavior with Kim Gardner, who hasn’t shown a willingness to be transparent or accountable,” Fitzpatrick said in Monday’s news release.
“Without question, she knows our audit is ongoing and that we want to speak with her about her time in office, but she has made no effort to comply with our requests or respond to our inquiries,” he added.
Fitzpatrick said efforts to reach Gardner have gone on for “months,” but her whereabouts are not known.
He even went as far as going on social media to ask the public for help in locating her:
While his office continues to make every effort to obtain information from Gardner, Fitzpatrick encourages anyone who may have knowledge of her whereabouts to contact the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, by email at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov or by visiting… pic.twitter.com/ZW8lKvL8QC
— Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick (@Auditor_Fitz) May 6, 2024
The audit was initially requested by the St. Louis Board of Aldermen back in 2018.
Fitzpatrick said that Gardner was subpoenaed and eventually provided some documents that had been requested of her, but not all of them.
The state auditor made it clear last May that he would pursue Gardner until he had all the information necessary to complete his work.
“One way or another, Kim Gardner will have to answer for her time as Circuit Attorney,” Fitzpatrick said in his May 2023 statement. “Her sudden resignation doesn’t negate the duty my office has to make sure the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office is transparent and accountable.”
One way or another, Kim Gardner will have to answer for her time as Circuit Attorney. Her sudden resignation doesn’t negate the duty my office has to make sure the @stlcao is transparent and accountable. pic.twitter.com/X1tRf18dlH
— Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick (@Auditor_Fitz) May 18, 2023
As of Monday, the auditor said his work was “nearing completion.”
Gardner was not accused of any wrongdoing by Fitzpatrick. She has also not been reported as a missing person to law enforcement.
