CLAYTON 鈥 51黑料 County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell didn鈥檛 appear at a budget hearing Tuesday afternoon where his staff were questioned about requesting new cars and doing outside legal work.
Bell couldn鈥檛 attend the budget hearing to discuss his office鈥檚 $15 million request for next year because of a family function following his birthday weekend, said Chief of Staff Sam Alton.
Bell announced last week he plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-51黑料, in next year鈥檚 Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District. Republican Councilman Dennis Hancock of Fenton asked if Bell was using his time as county prosecutor to campaign.
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Andrea Harrington, deputy chief of staff for the prosecutor鈥檚 office, said Bell hasn鈥檛 and won鈥檛 use county time or resources for campaign purposes.
鈥淲hen Mr. Bell goes to campaign events, he is using campaign resources. He is not using county vehicles. He is not using county personnel,鈥 Harrington said.
Alton defended his boss.
鈥淲es lives and breathes the office he holds, and he鈥檚 involved in every facet of the office,鈥 Alton said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 involved in every decision beyond the handling of a failure to register or a parking ticket.鈥
Alton himself faced questioning. Hancock asked Alton about his work for area municipalities outside of the prosecutor鈥檚 office.
Alton told councilmembers he serves as a prosecuting attorney for three municipalities, work that takes him less than three hours a week to do.
Councilwoman Rita Heard Days, a Democrat from Bel-Nor, questioned the prosecuting attorney鈥檚 office request for $90,000 to replace two vehicles that have more than 150,000 miles on them.
鈥淭he concern is that your cars actually cost more than our police officers鈥 cars. Our police officers requested vehicles as well, and theirs were nowhere near what you all were paying for your cars,鈥 Days said.
One car will be shared by three attorneys in the office鈥檚 violent crimes unit, and the other will be shared by about 10 investigators, said Tim Swope, the prosecuting attorney鈥檚 director of operations.
The office bought two new Chevrolet Tahoes last year, one for Bell and another for Alton, Swope said. They were originally going to buy Ford Expeditions, a pricier vehicle, Swope said.
Bell announced in April he would seek the Democratic senate nomination to take Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley鈥檚 seat. The day before Halloween, Bell ended that bid and said he would run for the House seat held by Bush instead.
The 1st District includes all of 51黑料 and much of North County.
Bush has represented that district since she assumed office in 2021, the first Black woman from Missouri to serve in the House of Representatives.
In announcing his run for the U.S. House of Representatives for Missouri's 1st Congressional District, Wesley Bell talked about how his experience as the 51黑料 Country Prosecuting Attorney will give his important connections and skills for the position. Video by Allie Schallert, aschallert@post-dispatch.com
