Feds say Stenger's crass, mercenary behavior should earn him no break in prison time

ST. LOUIS — Federal prosecutors on Friday said that former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger should receive no break in a possible 3-4 year prison sentence, painting him as a vindictive bully who used his political power to line his pockets, reward donors and punish his perceived enemies.

Among Stenger’s enemies were the St. Louis County Council, which he hoped would be wiped out in a city-county merger he supported; his own staffers when they didn’t do his bidding or check with him before taking action; and the son of a former state representative who opposed Stenger, a 12-page sentencing memo filed Friday says. He was even opposed to a tax for the St. Louis Zoo, simply because “it does nothing for me,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith quoted Stenger as saying.

Stenger also discussed a plan to talk to the head of the hospital where Dr. Sam Page, a council member, worked and “get him fired.”

Scott Rosenblum, Stenger’s lawyer, said in a text that he would be filing his own memo and would reserve his “comments and response” for that.

Read more: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/feds-say-stenger-s-crass-mercenary-behavior-should-earn-him/article_badad90a-e7d6-5e9a-82fe-a81ebcf5e51c.html