As St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell prepares to depart from his current position for Congress, the question of who will appoint the county’s next prosecuting attorney remains in the air. The situation has become a point of contention between St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and Missouri Governor Mike Parson.
Page declared that his administration would be in charge of filling the upcoming vacancy by opening applications for the position. However, Governor Parson countered this announcement by stating that his office would be responsible for appointing the next prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. As a result, applications are currently being accepted on both websites.
The dispute escalated when Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sent a letter to Page, asserting that Governor Parson has the authority to name Bell’s replacement. Bailey even set a deadline for Page to refrain from interfering with the nominating process, warning that any attempt by Page to appoint the next prosecuting attorney would violate the Missouri constitution.
The St. Louis County Executive’s Office had initially planned an appointment process similar to the one used in St. Charles County in 2023, where Joseph McCulloch was appointed following Tim Lohmar’s resignation. Bell’s victory in the election for Missouri District 1 means that a successor will need to take over the remainder of his elected four-year term, which extends until the end of 2026.
Once an appointment is made, voters will have the opportunity to choose between Democrat, Republican, or third-party candidates to serve the next full term of the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney in the November 2026 midterm election.
The disagreement between Page and Parson regarding the appointment of the next prosecuting attorney reflects the importance of this position in St. Louis County. The decision will ultimately impact the county’s legal system and the way justice is carried out in the region.
It is crucial for both Page and Parson to prioritize the interests of the county and its residents when resolving this dispute. The selection of the next prosecuting attorney should be based on merit, qualifications, and a commitment to upholding the law and serving the community effectively.
As the situation unfolds, all eyes will be on St. Louis County to see how this appointment dispute is resolved and what implications it may have for the future of the county’s legal system. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
