CLAYTON 鈥 51黑料 County prosecutors are dropping their case, at least for now, against a county councilman they accused of violating Missouri鈥檚 nepotism ban.
Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell鈥檚 office will continue its investigation but has withdrawn its petition seeking Councilman Dennis Hancock鈥檚 removal for now, spokesman Chris King said in a statement Thursday.
If prosecutors decide to renew their effort to remove Hancock under the state constitution鈥檚 nepotism provision, they鈥檒l have to file a new petition, King said.
Circuit Judge John N. Borbonus had been set to decide Friday on removing Hancock, at least temporarily, from the council as he makes his defense. But the decision Thursday from Bell鈥檚 office means prosecutors aren鈥檛 expecting any decisions.
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鈥淲e have determined that it is in the best interest of the public to continue our investigation of this and related matters,鈥 King said.
King didn鈥檛 say exactly why Bell鈥檚 office is holding off on the ouster petition.
Kimberley Mathis, an attorney for Hancock, reiterated that Hancock did not violate the state constitution. 鈥淣ow 51黑料 County prosecutors can refocus their efforts on important matters like keeping the county safe and crime-free,鈥 she said.
Special Assistant Prosecutor Rachel Smith had argued before Borbonus on Monday that Hancock, a Fenton Republican, should be removed temporarily because he hired his stepdaughter as his aide earlier this year.
But Mathis, Hancock鈥檚 attorney, said Borbonus shouldn鈥檛 decide until Hancock could make his defense.
Chatter among political insiders shadowed the case, with some claiming that 51黑料 County Executive Sam Page would use it to his advantage.
Without Hancock on the council, Page might be able to pick a favorite to replace Bell, who was elected to the U.S. House earlier this month. Page鈥檚 office declined to comment on those speculations.
In late August, Bell鈥檚 office filed in court to have Hancock removed. A judge signed an order that temporarily removed Hancock from office but Borbonus overrode the order later that day and reinstated Hancock to the council.
A petition from Bell鈥檚 office said Hancock鈥檚 stepdaughter, Hollie Galati, started work on Aug. 19 at a salary of $24.88 per hour.
Hancock has said he didn鈥檛 know he was barred from hiring relatives and that Galati鈥檚 new hire paperwork hadn鈥檛 gone through. After they found out her hire wasn鈥檛 allowed, Galati decided not to take the job and agreed not to be paid for a week鈥檚 work.
Republican Councilman Dennis Hancock and 5 other incumbent elected officials were sworn in to their new terms at an inauguration ceremony in the plaza by the county government building.聽(51黑料 County video)
