Thread by @chrisprener

I supported Gardner’s run for office, believe in the idea that we need transformative DAs, and think the leadership of Black women in STL is incredibly important.

But this latest incident, of no prosecutor showing up at a homicide case for months, is really beyond the pale.

https://twitter.com/stl_pj/status/1416799808870883339

I started hearing rumblings about staff deserting the office - not because they didn’t believe in Gardner’s politics - but because they felt there was not leadership, no management there. “Well I’ll take this with a grain of salt,” I told myself.

Debates over Gardner’s conviction rate were easy to dismiss as partisan, especially given the folks who were pushing that narrative. It’s always been clear, because of racism and power hunger, some folks wanted Gardner to fail.

What really got my attention was a pair of editorials by @tonymess asserting that Gardner was needlessly prolonging the pre-trial detention of individuals by gaming unwritten rules. This contributed to crowding at the City Justice Center downtown. stltoday.com/news/local/col…

There is even a rule now that detainees need to be given a hearing within a month of their arrest, which @tonymess also wrote about. Both of these editorials came out earlier this year. stltoday.com/news/local/col…

I now think that the early rumblings that I pushed to the side may indeed really have been early warning signs. I don’t have confidence in Gardner’s ability to effectively manage the Circuit Attorney’s office, even if I remain confident in some of her policy positions.

I therefore regretfully agree with @STL_PJ - I don’t think Gardner’s continued leadership, in a city with a sky-high homicide rate that leads cities our size not just in the United States but around the world, is in our collective best interest.