Our Choices Matter

Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore and his predecessor Kim Gardner

We’re navigating some tough times in America – and right here in St. Louis.  And it’s having an effect on our citizens.  People are confused, and angry that nothing seems to work right anymore.  

In St. Louis, we’ve watched a staggering spiral that has led to unreliable trash pick-up, delayed 911 response times, and, of course, weeks on end of ice-covered City streets. The challenges haven’t been limited to government; In recent months we’ve seen ineptitude or instability at other critical area organizations, from St. Louis Public Schools to the much-loved  International Institute.   Personally, I’ve never seen St. Louis so down on itself—in some cases so ready to give it up.

I’ve been reading the comments on city-related social media (I know, I know, bad idea).  And hateful and hurtful as they may be, they do offer a glimpse into what people are thinking.  Most alarming to me has been this undertone that the City cannot be saved – and that all parts of the City will end up in the same condition as the worst parts of our city.  

Aside from offending the can-do part of our civic psyche, I think the doomsayers are missing a very important piece of evidence to the contrary.  And by that, I mean Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore.   The performance of his office has offered a clear and compelling argument that change can be positive.  Things that were bad can become good if we have leadership willing to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. 

Governor Mike Parson appointed Gore as Circuit Attorney for the City of St. Louis following Kim Gardner’s resignation in May 2023.  Prosecution of crimes had nearly come to a halt under Gardner’s leadership.  Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick completed an audit last year and provided citizens with a report that quantified how far this once-proud office had collapsed.

‘The report shows how the number of cases processed, filed, and closed significantly declined while the time to prosecute the reduced caseload significantly increased. Additionally, the office under Gardner's watch refused prosecution for significantly more cases than the prior administration. With Gardner at the helm, office personnel, on average, refused approximately 59 percent of referred cases, which is an increase of approximately 40 percent from the average percentage of cases refused by the prior administration. Under Gardner, it also took office personnel significantly longer to file charges and significantly fewer cases were filed. The number of cases filed decreased from an average of 4,666 cases per year during the prior administration to only 2,529 cases per year during Gardner's time in the position. Personnel under Gardner took, on average, approximately 463 days to dispose of a case, which was significantly higher than the prior administration's average of approximately 293 days and the current administration's average of 142 days. In addition, the Circuit Attorney's Office did not dispose of 95 percent of felony cases within 14 months of case filing, as recommended by the Missouri Supreme Court.’

Gore assembled an experienced team and went to work. Said Auditor Fitzpatrick, "Our audit report paints a clear picture of an office that was far better off before Kim Gardner took over and has quickly rebounded after her departure.”  There can be no doubt that hundreds of criminals remained free and able to commit more crime and mayhem because Gardner couldn’t, or wouldn’t, prosecute.   

Our purpose in discussing Ms. Gardner’s performance here is not simply to pile on. The lesson we must learn from the Gardner debacle is that leadership matters – and that when civic leaders remain silent in the face of incompetence or malfeasance, they are complicit. But when the right people are leading an effort, even a collapsed system (like the dysfunctional office Gore inherited) can be resuscitated, and can provide quality service to our citizens.

Pay attention.  Educate yourself.  Make smart choices.  Things can get better. When you think they can’t, just think about the the lesson of Gabe Gore.

- Nancy Rice