St. Louis County Executive Sam Page has picked a former congressional candidate and federal prosecutor to be the county’s next prosecuting attorney, setting up a legal showdown with Gov. Mike Parson.
Cort VanOstran would take over as soon as Wesley Bell leaves office on Jan. 2. Bell will be sworn in as the congressman from Missouri’s 1st District on Jan 3.
“Cort VanOstran is a proven public servant,” Page said in a statement Tuesday. “As the next St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney, he will work every day to keep our community safe.”
VanOstran was an assistant U.S. attorney for 15 months until he resigned on Monday, and before that was in private practice with a firm in St. Louis. He was the Democratic nominee for the 2nd Congressional District in 2018.
Bell and VanOstran met briefly on Tuesday after Page’s announcement. While Bell had previously expressed a desire for his replacement to come from his leadership team, he reiterated his support for whoever was named to the post.
“[VanOstran] told me that he is a fan of this office, likes what we are doing, and believes his first step as a leader will be to emphasize listening and also learning from our talented and experienced staff,” Bell said in a statement.
He added that he asked his staff to give whoever becomes the next prosecuting attorney a fair chance.
VanOstran will need confirmation from the county council. An aide to Chairwoman Shalonda Webb, D-Florissant, said the earliest the nomination could come before the council would be Dec. 17.
Two of the council’s four Democrats said they were pleased with the choice.
“I think Cort brings great experience and fresh energy that could really benefit the prosecuting attorney’s office and St. Louis County,” said 2nd District Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, D-Chesterfield.
Her colleague Lisa Clancy of the 5th District agreed.
“Cort is thoughtful, fair-minded and well-liked,” Clancy, D-Maplewood said. “He’s an excellent choice.”
Webb and 1st District Councilwoman Rita Days, D-Bel-Nor, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Third District Councilman Dennis Hancock, R-Fenton, said the nomination is premature since Bell has not yet resigned and the courts have not decided who has the authority to make the replacement.
He added that he wants to hear how aggressively VanOstran will prosecute violent offenders.
Hancock’s fellow Republicans Mark Harder, Ballwin, and Ernie Trakas, St. Louis County, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Page’s decision to move ahead with the appointment of VanOstran adds another level to a legal dispute between the Democrat and two top Republican statewide officials. Last week, Parson and Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued to block Page from taking that step, arguing that he was usurping the state’s police powers.
A spokesman for Parson said Page’s decision changes nothing for the governor.
“Gov. Parson is moving forward and has started the interviewing process to find the best qualified individual for the job, regardless of political affiliations,” the statement said. “We remain confident in our legal authority to name this appointment and look forward to the courts affirming our position.”
County attorneys say Parson and Bailey are misinterpreting state law. They also point out that Parson declined to appoint a replacement when St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann, a Republican, named Joseph McCulloch to the prosecutor’s post in that county.
Updated with comments from Wesley Bell.
