ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - An assistant prosecuting attorney in the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office says she was she was asked by someone on behalf of Sam Page to dig up dirt on a political opponent.
Melissa Price Smith, who was picked as Missouri Gov. Mike Parson's nominee for St. Louis County Prosecutor, testified on Tuesday night during a County Council meeting that an associate of St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page asked her to dig up dirt on a political rival.
The man she was asked to find dirt on was Republican Councilman-elect Mike Archer, who was a private citizen and candidate when the request was made in October.
Price Smith says she refused, only to be pressed a second time.
"I told them I had no dirt on Archer, and then it was my understanding he quit years before I began," said Price Smith. "I received a call two days later from the same person on behalf of Dr. Page instructing me to try harder."
Price Smith added the requests came prior the interview process to succeed outgoing Prosecuting Attorney and Congressman-elect Wesley Bell.
Archer, a former assistant prosecuting attorney in St. Louis County himself, says he was appalled when he heard Price Smith's testimony and told KMOX News he was stunned by the revelation.
"It is just beyond me that (Page) would think I would do something underhanded as I was serving the people of St. Louis County," said Archer.
Archer says he understands he is a public figure once he runs for office but says if political opponents like Page wanted to dig up dirt on him they should not have used taxpayer dollars.
"It puts it to a whole new reprehensible level because he's using St. Louis County taxpayer dollars to try to find dirt on me," said Archer, who added it was also reprehensible that he was a private citizen when Page allegedly pushed Price Smith to investigate him.
KMOX has reached out to a spokesperson for County Executive Dr. Page about the allegations from Price Smith and in a statement, a spokesperson for County Executive Page said they have no idea what Price Smith is talking about.