ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Court of Appeals officially ruled in favor of Governor Mike Parson over St. Louis County Executive Sam Page on Thursday afternoon in appointing the county’s next prosecuting attorney, ending a months-long political showdown over who has authority to make that decision.
With the ruling, Parson’s original pick for appointment, Melissa Price Smith, is on track to be sworn in as the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney on Friday.
Page and Parson have been at odds over who has the authority to formally appoint Bell’s replacement since Bell was elected for a seat within the Missouri U.S. House of Representatives. Bell is scheduled to resign from his post as the county’s top prosecutor on Friday, to be sworn into Congress.
A Dec. 20 ruling granted Gov. Parson “sole authority” in appointing Wesley Bell’s successor as St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney and prohibits St. Louis County Executive Sam Page from proceeding with plans to appoint a candidate for that role.
Page’s appeal attempted to challenge the ruling that paves the way for Smith to take over, specifically a ruling that the county prosecutor is a state officer, not a county officer.
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