Kim Gardner is a lawyer and politician from Missouri. In February 2023, Missouri’s Attorney General, Andrew Bailey, requested that Gardner resign after a criminal who had broken house arrest 51 times caused a teenage girl to lose her legs.
Gardner’s office was also unprepared for the trial of the same suspect in an armed robbery case in 2020, and some members of the Board of Aldermen asked her to step down.
She used to work as the circuit attorney for St. Louis city and was a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives. On May 4, 2023, Gardner announced her resignation as Circuit Attorney of St. Louis, effective June 1, 2023.
Kim Gardner Biography
Kim Gardner is a politician and lawyer from St. Louis, Missouri. She served as the Circuit Attorney of St. Louis starting from January 1, 2017, replacing Jennifer Joyce. ((en.wikipedia.org)) Prior to her appointment, she was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives for the 77th district from January 9, 2013, until January 1, 2017.
Gardner is a member of the Democratic Party. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Harris-Stowe State University and a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Science degree from Saint Louis University.
Family Background | Education
Kim Gardner is a lawyer and politician who was born in 1975 and grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. Her family runs a funeral home in North St. Louis where she used to work.
Gardner earned a degree in healthcare administration from Harris-Stowe State University in 1999. Later, she earned a Juris Doctor degree from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2003 and a Master of Science degree in nursing from Saint Louis University in 2012.
Is Kim Gardner Married?
There are conflicting reports about Kim Gardner’s marital status. Some sources, such as Wikipedia and billtrack50.com, do not provide any information about her marriage.
However, according to caselaw.findlaw.com, she was previously married to a man named Kim E. Gardner, from whom she separated in 2007. ((caselaw.findlaw.com))
Meanwhile, faaduindia.com and ghgossip.com report that she is currently married to Mark Elliott, who works as the director of track and cross-country programs at Clemson University.
Who Is Kim Gardner Husband?
Kim Gardner is married to Mark Elliott, the director of track and cross-country programs at Clemson University. They tied the knot in 2014 in Jamaica, where Elliott was born. They have been together for a while, but there isn’t much information available about Elliott. ((faaduindia.com))
Career
Before becoming Circuit Attorney, Kim Gardner worked at a law firm and as an assistant prosecutor in the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. She was also a Missouri State Representative for District 77 from 2013 to 2017.
She became the first African-American to head the Circuit Attorney’s Office in January 2017. Gardner has reduced the cash required for bonds for minor, nonviolent offenses, expanded diversion and drug court programs, and ended prosecutions of low-level marijuana possession.
However, her office has experienced a more than 100% turnover rate in staff since she took office. Additionally, Gardner’s office charges defendants under direct complaint and then uses the grand jury process to delay the preliminary hearing, which has caused controversy.
Controversies
Kimberly M. Gardner, a former circuit attorney for the city of St. Louis, Missouri, has been involved in several controversies during her time in office.
Eric Greitens investigation and indictment
In 2018, Gardner investigated Missouri Governor Eric Greitens for allegedly taking a compromising photograph of a woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair. Greitens was indicted on felony charges but the charges were later dropped.
Special prosecutor investigation
In 2019, a special prosecutor was appointed to investigate Gardner’s handling of the Greitens case. The investigation found that Gardner had committed ethical violations but did not find any criminal wrongdoing.
Misconduct Probe
In 2020, Gardner’s conduct was investigated by the Missouri Bar Association for allegedly withholding evidence in a murder case. The investigation found no misconduct on her part.
Exclusion list
In 2020, Gardner’s office created an exclusion list of police officers who were not allowed to serve as witnesses in criminal cases due to alleged misconduct. The move was criticized by law enforcement officials.
Traffic stop controversy
In 2020, Gardner was pulled over for a traffic violation but was not issued a citation. The incident sparked controversy and raised questions about preferential treatment.
Campaign finance violations
In 2020, Gardner was fined $63,009 by the Missouri Ethics Commission for campaign finance violations. Gardner was accused of using campaign funds for personal expenses.
Civil rights lawsuit
In 2020, Gardner was sued by a former prosecutor who claimed that he was fired for being white. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2021.
Open records lawsuit
In 2020, Gardner was sued for violating the state’s open records law. The lawsuit alleged that Gardner’s office had failed to provide records related to the Greitens case.
McCloskey prosecution
In 2020, Gardner’s office charged Mark and Patricia McCloskey with unlawful use of a weapon after they brandished firearms at Black Lives Matter protesters. The charges were later dropped.
Dropped charges controversy
In 2021, Gardner faced criticism for dropping charges against protesters who had been arrested during demonstrations in St. Louis. Some accused her of being too lenient on protesters.
Racial discrimination allegations
In 2021, Gardner was accused of racial discrimination by a former employee who claimed that she was fired for speaking out against the exclusion list.
Nursing School Enrollment
In 2022, Gardner was criticized for allegedly using her position to enroll her daughter into a competitive nursing program. The controversy raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Election History
Kim Gardner ran in the 2016 elections and won the post of Circuit Attorney, promising to reform and rebuild trust in the criminal justice system, reduce violent crime, increase diversity, bring independent investigations of police use of force, work to reduce racial disparities, and enhance gun control.
She accepted $190,750.73 from ‘Super PACs’ funded in part by billionaire George Soros. In the 2020 elections, she won a contested primary for reelection and received 60.9% of the vote against her leading 2016 primary opponent, Mary Pat Carl. Gardner won the November general election with 74.01% of the vote, defeating Republican Daniel Zdrodowski.
Net Worth
There are different estimates of Kim Gardner’s net worth. Some sources like ghbase.com ((ghbase.com)) and faaduindia.com ((faaduindia.com)) say it’s around $4 million, while marriedbiography.com estimates it to be $18 million. Networthpost.org estimates her net worth to be $1.4 million, ((Networthpost.org)) and buzzlearn.com says it’s between $1 million and $10 million. ((buzzlearn.com))
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