St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner resigned from office Tuesday weeks earlier than her stated departure date, according to a press release from her office.

Gardner’s campaign was at least partially financed by George Soros, a billionaire philanthropist that has donated millions to progressive prosecutors throughout the nation. Gardner announced her resignation on May 4, stating that her last day would be on June 1, according to The Associated Press, but her office announced on Tuesday that her resignation will be “effective immediately.”

“Effective immediately, Kimberly M. Gardner will end her service as the City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney,” the statement reads. “Ms. Gardner has been committed to serving the people of the City of St. Louis and has done all she can to ensure a smooth transition.”

Gardner was criticized for her perceived unwillingness to punish violent criminals, according to the AP. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit in February to remove her from office after a teen volleyball player visiting from Tennessee was struck by a speeding car, causing her to lose both of her legs.

The man who hit her, Daniel Riley, is a robbery suspect who had violated the terms of his bond 94 times since 2020 but remained out of jail, according to the AP.

“Instead of protecting victims, which is her obligation, she’s creating more victims by neglect in office,” said AG Bailey.

Republican Missouri Gov. Mike Parson was expecting Gardner to expedite her resignation and said that nothing has changed in his planning to appoint a new circuit attorney, according to a press conference in St. Louis on Tuesday.

“So, with the resignation today, that changes the scenario somewhat,” Parson said. “We will advance that pick; hopefully, by this Friday, I will be able to pick that person.”

“The Circuit Attorney has finally heeded my call to resign after undermining the rule of law for years. Today, we begin the process of restoring public safety to the City of St. Louis,” tweeted AG Andrew Bailey.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].

Republished with permission from Daily Caller News Foundation