ST. LOUIS – March 14 is the deadline for St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner to respond to the Missouri Attorney General’s lawsuit trying to oust her from office.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, the one document Gardner filed thus far just names who she wants as her lawyer. She’s hiring Harvard Law Professor Ronald Sullivan as her attorney.

Sullivan once worked on her prosecution team when she prosecuted former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens.

Defense attorney Scott Rosenblum, who worked on the Greitens defense team, called Sullivan a good lawyer.

Sullivan has worked with some high-profile clients in the past. He worked for Harvey Weinstein in his sex assault cases. He left that legal team before Weinstein was convicted.

He also represented former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, who was acquitted in a double murder case.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has made numerous allegations against Gardner in his lawsuit.

Bailey accused her of neglecting to have a suspect’s bond revoked. That individual was later involved in a crash that claimed a Nashville, Tennessee teenager’s legs.

The attorney general said Gardner fails to see cases through to resolution and has failed to communicate with victims.

Bailey claims Gardner didn’t review some 3,000 cases filed by police. His lawsuit further alleges there are 200 first- and second-degree murder cases still pending.

When asked if he thought the attorney general had a good case, Rosenblum said he does, saying that it’s not just one thing, but many things that add up to negligence.

Community activist Zaki Baruti, the co-chair of the Community Justice Coalition, thinks otherwise. He calls the prosecution by the attorney general just an effort by Republicans still angry that she drove Greitens out of office.

Baruti believes Gardner has done a good job and calls the Bailey’s effort racially-motivated against the city’s Black chief prosecutor.

Gardner’s filing will most likely end up online shortly. The attorney general will then
ask that the judge call a hearing and oust Gardner from office. We’re still waiting for Gardner to file her answer to the attorney general’s lawsuit.