Holleman: How Sam Page could get his choice for prosecuting attorney past county council
Wesley Bell is officially a congressman-elect. So what better time than now to speculate about his successor as St. Louis County's prosecuting attorney?
That question — more specifically, how it will play out — has been a low-key topic in political circles ever since Bell defeated U.S. Rep. Cori Bush in the August Democratic primary.
Bell's replacement will serve the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2027, a full two years away.
Bell's victory Tuesday over Republican challenger Andrew Jones and three other minor-party candidates has nudged the volume knob upward, even if the clarity hasn't improved all that much.
So please allow this bureau to take a stab at sharpening the focus — or muddying the waters, as the case may be — on a scenario that is getting good mileage these days.
Several sources say Page's preferred pick is Beth Orwick, a former St. Louis and federal prosecutor who was the St. Louis County Counselor and now is Page's chief of staff.
Orwick has some stones in her passway, namely the fact that the County Council will have to sign off on her appointment.
That is a notable problem. In 2021, when she was county counselor, the County Council voted they had "no confidence" in Orwick.
Spurring that vote was Orwick's efforts, ultimately tossed out by the courts, to allow Page's County Council allies Lisa Clancy, D-5th District, and Ernie Trakas, R-6th District, to remain as the County Council chair and vice chair, respectively.
Orwick also was county counselor when the county tried to deny pension payments to Tim Fitch, a former St. Louis County police chief who was then a County Council member. The county eventually lost that case as well.
Fitch was one of four no-confidence votes against Orwick. And the other three votes were cast by County Council members who still hold their seats: Shalonda Webb, D-4th District, Rita Heard Days, D-1st District, and Mark Harder, R-7th District.
That is why, some politicos say, Page's office would like Bell to do two things — and the quicker, the better.
Move No. 1: Bell could resign his office well before he is sworn into Congress in early January, which would allow Page to quickly nominate his pick for prosecutor.
Move No. 2: Page needs to keep a fire lit under Bell's office to remove Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-3rd District, from office. Hancock was accused of nepotism in August for offering a job to his stepdaughter.
Sure, it's anyone's guess if Bell will play along. In a recent interview, Bell said he had no plans to resign early.
But keep in mind that Bell once told local reporters on the "Donnybrook" television show that he had no plans in seeking another office — shortly before he filed as a candidate for the U.S. Senate.
And then while he was a Senate candidate, Bell told Bush that he had no plans to run against her — until a few months later, when he announced he would run against her.
So if Bell does resign soon, and Hancock is forced off the County Council, Page could submit his choice to a County Council that would have only six members.
Page's nomination then would face a probable 3-3 vote outcome. With a tie vote, which would neither confirm or reject the nomination, the County Charter states that the County Council's right to act will have "lapsed and the appointment shall be deemed as confirmed."
That scenario offers far better odds than if Page's nomination is voted on by the incoming County Council — which will be seated Jan. 3, thanks to voters passing a County Charter amendment that changes swearing-in dates.
The new County Council promises to be even less accommodating to Page's wishes, especially with two staunch Page allies gone from the scene.
Trakas lost in the August primary to fellow Republican Mike Archer, and Kelli Dunaway, D-2nd District, opted not to seek another term.
Dunaway will be replaced by Gretchen Bangert, a Democrat, who earlier this year informed federal authorities of what she said was an attempt by Page to get her to drop out of a primary race — in exchange for a high-paying county job — to clear the way for a Page ally.
So with only the ever-loyal Clancy as a guaranteed ally, any Page proposal potentially faces a 5-1 or 6-1 vote, depending on Hancock's status, from the new County Council.
When asked at Bell's victory party Tuesday night, Page said only that the county would soon "start the application process. I'm sure there are a lot of qualified candidates."
As to the second move, pushing the case against Hancock, Bell's office does seem to be moving at a rapid clip.
Earlier this week, prosecutors asked St. Louis County Circuit Court to "shorten the timeline" (translation: "hurry up") and lift the stay it placed last month on ousting Hancock.
But Circuit Judge John N. Borbonus III, who has been consistently skeptical of moving fast on the case, denied the motion. He has set a hearing for Nov. 18 to hear all motions in the case, from both sides.
And there is even another replacement method being bandied about in legal corridors.
Given that Page's ability to secure a favorable vote from the County Council is problematic, Page could opt to appoint someone as "acting" county prosecutor — and try to bypass the County Council entirely.
"And that," one source said, "is when the fireworks will really begin."
Political correspondent/columnist
