ST. LOUIS (Legal Newsline) - St. Louis County Assessor Jake Zimmerman has joined the race for attorney general in Missouri.
Zimmerman, who served more than four years in the Missouri House and was an assistant attorney general in 2002-03, made the announcement last week.
“Everyone has a right to fairness, regardless of whether you’re a millionaire or a single mom who is just trying to make ends meet,” Zimmerman said in a Jan. 27 statement. “Whether it’s prosecuting corporations that are cheating their customers, or cracking down on casinos and developers who are trying to avoid paying their fair share of taxes, I’ve dedicated my career to fighting to make sure people are treated equally under the law.
“It’s a fight I want to continue as Missouri’s Attorney General.”
Current Attorney General Chris Koster, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election next year. He is running for governor, instead.
Zimmerman, a Democrat, is the first elected St. Louis County Assessor since 1960. In 2011, he won a special election and was re-elected in November to a four-year term.
He can run for attorney general without having to give up his current position.
“The culture of corruption in Jefferson City has gone on for too long,” Zimmerman said. “We must fight for one fair set of rules for everyone. And if someone tries to exploit their position of power to game the system, they must be held accountable.”
Zimmerman, born and raised in St. Louis County, has degrees from Claremont McKenna College, a private, liberal arts school in California, and Harvard Law School.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.