St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery has refused to voluntarily leave his position despite facing a slew of controversies and a direct demand from Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to do so. Citing allegations of financial mismanagement and abuse of authority, these accusations have quickly to become a dominant narrative in the discourse surrounding Montgomery's tenure. In the face of demands for his resignation, Montgomery delivered a clear message at a press conference on Tuesday: "Let me be very clear, very clear that I will not resign," he stated, according to a St. Louis Public Radio interview, reaffirming his commitment to the office he was elected to serve.
Attorney General Bailey has given Montgomery until noon Wednesday to step down, threatening to forcibly remove him from office through a writ of quo warranto if he fails to comply. Montgomery's lawyer, retired Judge David C. Mason, criticized this approach, arguing that due process must be followed. "We have due process of law, courts in witness examination, judges presiding over these things," Mason told St. Louis Public Radio. Meanwhile, as this power struggle unfolds, Bailey's office has established a public tip line to gather further information on any misconduct allegations related to Montgomery's office.
Albert Bailey's letter to Montgomery included accusations of workplace misconduct and eroded trust, drawing from several reports of concerning behavior from the Sheriff's department. Multiple sources report incidents ranging from a deputy being asked to roll golden dice to decide his employment fate to a jail commissioner being handcuffed after a dispute, as chronicled by KSDK News. Additionally, allegations have been made that Montgomery used staff to chauffeur his children to school, and that financial mismanagement under his leadership has resulted in hefty severance payouts and budgetary issues.
In his press conference, Montgomery condemned local media for spreading what he called "false claims and reckless accusations" against him. Yet, the attorney general's office seems determined to uphold their threat, with Bailey scheduled to hold a news conference today at 12:30 p.m. to outline next steps against Montgomery if he does not resign, according to FOX 2 Now.
"Given the widely published and disturbing allegations, the Attorney General’s Office is prepared to act on behalf of the citizens of St. Louis," Bailey wrote, a sentiment echoed by his previous actions against then-Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, whom he also threatened with a writ of quo warranto before her subsequent resignation, as St. Louis Public Radio reported.
