Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey made a visit to Warrenton on March 9, delivering comments and answering questions for the Warrenton Rotary Club and local government officials.

Bailey formerly worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Warren County for about four years, part of a career that also includes time as an assistant attorney general, as general counsel for the Missouri Department of Corrections, and as an attorney in Gov. Mike Parson’s office. Bailey was appointed to office in January when his predecessor, Eric Schmitt, left to become a U.S. Senator.

Bailey commented that coming to speak in Warren County still felt like coming home, and that reflecting on his personal history still leaves him a little amazed to be serving as the state’s top attorney.

“Nothing in my history or career trajectory would have suggested I would land where I am, and so it’s not something I take for granted or take lightly,” Bailey commented.

Bailey’s remarks covered a range of topics, with some related to high-profile lawsuits that the attorney general’s office has engaged in, while others were in response to local concerns brought up by community members in attendance.

A significant portion of the discussion was spent on the justifications for Bailey’s recent lawsuit attempting to unseat Kim Gardner, the elected circuit attorney for the city of St. Louis. Gardner has been accused of being willfully negligent in her duty to prosecute criminal cases.

“She is unlawfully refusing to do her job,” Bailey explained. “This is not something I undertook lightly. Having come from a county prosecutor’s office, I understand the challenges that local law enforcement and local prosecutors face. I believe in local control. ... (But) prosecutorial discretion is not an excuse to refuse to enforce the law.”

Bailey noted that this issue is also relevant to Warren County because crime is a regional problem that also impacts the residents, businesses and economy in the local area.

When asked what would happen if the people of St. Louis eventually elect a new circuit attorney with a similar approach to the job as Gardner, Bailey said his concern isn’t rooted in political viewpoints.

“The people of the city of St. Louis should elect whoever they feel is most appropriate to do that job. But then whoever takes that job needs to actually do that job,” Bailey said. “This isn’t a political difference. ... This is about her unlawful refusal to discharge her constitutional (duties).”

Bailey also delivered remarks on several other lawsuits he has joined on the federal level, including those related to student loan forgiveness and federal water quality regulations.

Here are a few other topics that Bailey addressed:

(Lack of) ambitions for U.S. Senate:

Bailey made a lighthearted comment about his two predecessors, Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, using the attorney general’s office as a quick stepping stone to reach the U.S. Senate. Bailey said he has no intention of leaving his family here to go work in Washington D.C.

“I want to be the attorney general for the state of Missouri. I don’t plan on going anywhere,” he noted.

Ruling blocking the Second Amendment Preservation Act:

A federal judge recently blocked enforcement of this law, which would punish local police departments that help enforce federal gun laws. Bailey commented that he will appeal that ruling, and is confident the law will eventually prevail in federal appeals court.

Legal actions related to schools:

School Superintendent Gregg Klinginsmith commented that former AG Eric Schmitt had sent a wave of document requests to school districts across the state during his tenure, and that the Warren County R-III District is still holding a huge amount of documents that the AG’s office never came to collect. He asked what the district should do with those documents, and whether the district should expect the attorney general's office to submit additional time-intensive requests under Missouri’s Sunshine Law in the future.

Bailey, at this question, was somewhat bashful in his response.

“Keep your documents. I’m good,” Bailey eventually replied. “I don’t intend to use the Sunshine Law as an offensive tool.”

Oversight for local governments:

Bailey was asked if he would devote more of his office’s resources to performing oversight duties over local governments outside of major cities, to ensure they’re following state laws related to public documents and transparency. He replied that he is dedicated to excellence in all of his office’s duties, citing recent actions his staff has taken to enforce consumer protection laws.

Bigger answer to combating regional crime:

“Nothing stops a bullet like a job. Enforcement alone can’t solve the crime problem,” Bailey commented. “There needs to be workforce development and education as well, and we need to address things on that side of it. But the people who are tasked with enforcing the law need to stand up and do their jobs.”