An audit of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office that began in 2021 is nearing completion. However, Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick announced today that the report’s release has been delayed due to Kim Gardner’s unavailability. Despite months of attempts to contact Gardner, including efforts to serve her with a subpoena, her current location remains unknown.
“As I mentioned when she abruptly resigned to avoid complying with a subpoena we were prepared to enforce through court, Kim Gardner will be held accountable,” Fitzpatrick stated. “Currently, her whereabouts are unknown, and all attempts to contact her have been unsuccessful. Nonetheless, we are committed to locating her to obtain the necessary answers that only she can provide.”
Fitzpatrick noted that his team has thoroughly examined most aspects of the Circuit Attorney’s Office and has gathered sufficient information for a comprehensive report. However, he stressed the importance of Gardner addressing specific questions to clarify the decisions made during her tenure. His office has contacted her legal representatives, made daily calls to associated phone numbers, reached out to close associates and former coworkers, and repeatedly tried to serve her with a subpoena—all without success.
Fitzpatrick commended the current Circuit Attorney, Gabe Gore, for granting full access to the office, a stark contrast to the restricted access under Gardner’s administration, which also frequently ignored subpoenas and delayed the release of requested records.
“This pattern of behavior from Kim Gardner shows a lack of transparency and accountability,” Fitzpatrick explained. “It is clear she is aware of our ongoing audit and our desire to discuss her tenure, yet she has not responded to our requests.”
The audit is part of a broader examination of the City of St. Louis, initiated at the request of the Board of Aldermen in January 2018. The State Auditor’s Office, under Nicole Galloway, initially contacted the Circuit Attorney’s Office in June 2021 to review pertinent records. Fitzpatrick, who took over in 2023, issued a subpoena to the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office to secure necessary documents for the audit. While some documents were produced, others were ignored or their release was delayed. Fitzpatrick’s office was preparing to enforce the subpoena in court when Gardner resigned.
Fitzpatrick encourages anyone with information about Gardner’s whereabouts to contact the State Auditor’s Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, by email at [email protected], or by visiting this link.
