COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — St. Louis’ embattled former Democratic prosecutor Kim Gardner spent the equivalent of seven weeks in nursing school classes during business hours, according to a scathing report released Tuesday by the state auditor.
Republican Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s review also found widespread staff turnover, misuse of public funds and a significant drop in cases filed, referred and closed before Gardner resigned under fire in 2023.
“In my view, the driving force was Kim Gardner’s failure to make her job as circuit attorney her top priority,” Fitzpatrick told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The audit found Gardner spent “34.5 working days, or approximately 7 weeks” doing nursing school coursework at Saint Louis University during business hours.
Gardner told auditors that she was pursuing a family nurse practitioner post-master’s certificate “to improve the office and bring mental health awareness” to the office.
The Associated Press left phone and email messages with lawyers for Gardner on Tuesday.