Updated: Paul Permanently Reinstated as Ellisville Mayor

Judge David Lee Vincent III ruled Monday morning that Adam Paul be permanently reinstated as Ellisville Mayor.

“I’m elated. It’s over,” Paul said after the announcement. 

As word came out that he would be reinstated, Paul joked, “I’m like Terminator 2. I’m back.”

On June 10, Vincent had granted a motion by Paul’s attorney Chet Pleban that Paul be temporarily reinstated, and he has presided over Ellisville city council meetings since that time.

Vincent’s ruling noted Paul and Pleban received an amended charge during Paul's impeachment hearing. Pleban said he had no time to prepare to address the amended charges.

"The removal hearing proceeded without giving any time and opportunity to review the amended resolution," Vincent wrote in his ruling.

Vincent wrote that the city council violated Paul's procedural due process rights when they amended the resolution without prior notice and gave him no opportunity to consider the new charge, invalidating the April 1 removal hearing.

Pleban said, “There’s multiple other issues we raise, but you don’t even have to get to those other issues.” 

Pleban said the Ellisville city council could appeal Vincent’s ruling, but it's unlikely.

He said any city council member who votes to appeal should be impeached because of fiduciary responsibility. He said he has named about 20 issues, and any one of them could have the impeachment overturned. 

However, Paul said he doubted the city would pursue an appeal because it would cost the city additional money in a fruitless effort.

During a press conference at 1 p.m. Monday, Paul estimated the city has spent $100,000 to $150,000 trying to impeach him and defending itself against the subsequent lawsuits. 

Patch could not immediately reach Councilman Matt Pirello for comment.

Paul said he recalled walking out of the impeachment hearing because “we didn’t want to listen to a lot of self-serving statements. We knew our time in would come in court.”

“You can’t remove a duly elected mayor for frivolous purposes with no investigation,” Paul said. “It’s a wild story of collusion and orchestration between city staff, city attorney and the previous council.”

Paul has maintained he was targeted for removal from office because of his views on tax increment financing (TIF) for a proposed Walmart in Ellisville.

"I was the unexpected child," he said Monday afternoon. "The city had plans and I knew the people of Ellisville were opposed to them."

"It was all for trumped-up, frivolous charges," he said. 

"They went beyond trying to remove me from office," Paul said. "They tried to run me out of town."

Paul also has filed a lawsuit against former city attorney Paul Martin, Pirello and Ellisville resident Katie James. Pleban said the city's insurance carrier has elected to defend those named in the lawsuit, so the city would pay any deductible and any increased premium that comes as a result.

Pleban said he believes Martin and council members expected Paul "to cut and run" after they leveled charges against him that originally included drinking on the job and appearing to be drunk during council meetings.

"He hung in there and fought, not just for himself but for the people he represented," Pleban said.

Paul said he had lots of support from Ellisville residents and people throughout the region who encouraged him to keep fighting.