Missouri governor and St. Louis County executive name appointees for same prosecutor job

Associated Press

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — When the elected prosecutor in Missouri’s largest county leaves his job for a seat in Congress next month, an appointed replacement will take his spot. The question is: Which one? Democratic St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and Republican Gov. Mike Parson have each named an appointee for the same job. Page announced the appointment of former federal prosecutor Cort VanOstran on Dec. 3. Parson, on Thursday, named Melissa Price Smith, a longtime assistant prosecutor in St. Louis County. The courts will decide who’s right, and time is of the essence. The outgoing prosecuting attorney, Democrat Wesley Bell, will be sworn into Congress on Jan. 3.