Missouri Attorney General issued the following announcement on Jan. 11.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt was sworn in earlier for another term as Missouri’s 43rd Attorney General.
Standing alongside family and other statewide officers, Attorney General Schmitt was administered the oath of office by Judge Tom Albus, former First Assistant Attorney General in Schmitt’s office and current Circuit Judge in St. Louis County’s 21st Judicial Circuit. Eric Schmitt has served as Missouri’s Attorney General since January 3, 2019, and was elected to a four year term in November 2020.
“It’s been one of my highest honors to serve as Missouri’s 43rd Attorney General for the past two years, and the oath that I took when sworn in is one that I take seriously and reverently,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “Obtaining justice on behalf of victims has been one of my main motivating factors in everything I’ve done for the past two years - working to combat violent crime, clearing the backlog of untested sexual assault kits, rooting out human trafficking, and fighting for wronged consumers. I pledge to continue that important work and serve as the voice for all six million Missourians.”
Born and raised in St. Louis in a working class family, Eric Schmitt attended De Smet Jesuit High School before graduating cum laude from Truman State University. Eric’s father, who worked the midnight shift seven nights a week, emphasized the importance of hard work and dedication. After graduating from Truman, Eric attended St. Louis University School of Law where he edited the school’s law review. Following law school, Eric briefly worked in private practice before entering public service.
Eric and his wife Jaime have three children, including Eric’s son Stephen. Born with a rare disease causing tumors on his organs, Stephen has epilepsy and is on the autism spectrum. Inspired by his son and driven by the challenges Stephen has faced, Eric entered public service to be a voice for Stephen. Eric previously served as a state senator, Missouri’s 46th State Treasurer, and now serves as Missouri’s Attorney General.
Since taking office in January of 2019, Attorney General Schmitt has made fighting for victims a central focus of his Office, and has worked to combat violent crime in Missouri’s major cities, protect consumers from fraud and scams, fight human trafficking through unique initiatives, and clear the backlog of untested sexual assault kits.
The Attorney General’s Safer Streets Initiative has netted over 500 charges against over 250 defendants since its launch. The Hope Initiative, which works to shut down illicit massage businesses, has already led to the eviction or the likely eviction of 32 illicit massage businesses.
The SAFE Kit Initiative has shipped 1,500 untested sexual assault kits to the lab to be tested and has resulted in 38 CODIS hits, which could lead to potential prosecutions. The Office’s Consumer Protection Section also worked feverishly to protect consumers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and, despite incredible circumstances, filed 39 civil and criminal filings and recouped nearly $13 million in direct restitution for Missourians in 2020.
Looking to the future, Attorney General Schmitt will continue to defend the constitution and fight for all six million Missourians.
Original source can be found here.