Megan Green

Green alleged in 2015 that a "loved one" had been offered a political bribe in return for Green "dialing down" her opposition to a proposed football stadium. She went on to criticize the Board of Aldermen's "quid pro quo mentality" and said that "the deal cutting, bribery... at City Hall will never cease to amaze me."[18] Green later apologized to Alderman Sam Moore after implying that he had accepted bribes in exchange for his vote on the planned stadium. St. Louis Public Radio reported that Green's allegations "seemed to irritate" her fellow board members and an investigation by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI determined that her claims had "no substance."[19]

Board President Lewis Reed faced backlash in 2016 after appearing on a radio show hosted by Bob Romanik. In an episode aired on January 11, 2016, Romanik referred to Green as "skanky bitch" and "alderbitch" while Reed laughed and called Green "reprehensible." Reed later apologized for his "nervous laughter" and called Romanik's comments "out of line."[20]

In the 2021 city elections, Green led the Flip the Board effort, encouraging progressive candidates to target several incumbent aldermen. The campaign was successful, resulting in a 15-member progressive majority on the Board of Aldermen. Green later told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the "city electorate is a lot more progressive than people have thought recently."[21]

Green participated in the Ferguson unrest of 2014.[6] In a September 2017 incident, Green and several others were tear-gassed by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department in the Central West End while protesting police brutality. She sued the city and its police department in 2018, alleging retaliation and excessive use of force.[22]

Green was a major supporter of a bill raising the city's minimum wage to $11 and opposed efforts to privatize St. Louis Lambert International Airport. She was also involved in the Close the Workhouse movement, advocating for the closure of the Medium Security Institution in St. Louis.[6]

Green announced in December 2017 that she would challenge Lewis Reed in the 2019 Board President election, further straining a political relationship that the Riverfront Times described as a "dumpster fire."[27] She ultimately placed third in the March 2019 Democratic primary, behind Reed and state senator Jamilah Nasheed.[28] The St. Louis Post-Dispatch later reported that she had primarily lost due to a lack of support from Black voters on the city's north side.[6]

In January 2020, Green was fined by the Missouri Ethics Commission for failing to report campaign contributions, later stated to be a clerical error.[29]

In May 2022, Reed was indicted on federal bribery charges.[30] On June 5, Green called for Reed to "resign immediately," saying that he had "forfeited the trust" of the city.[16] Reed ultimately resigned on June 7 and Green announced her candidacy to replace him the following week.[17]

The only other candidate to file was Jack Coatar, an alderman whose ward was unsuccessfully targeted by Green's Flip the Board campaign in 2021.[31] The race was characterized as pitting the city's two ideological wings against each other, with Green associated with Mayor Tishaura Jones' progressive voting bloc and Coatar aligned with the moderate Democrats.[32]

Green was endorsed by Jones, U.S. Representative Cori Bush, the St. Louis American, and the Democratic Socialists of America.[33][34] She surpassed Coatar in the September primary[35] and both candidates advanced to the general election in November.[36] On November 8, 2022, Green defeated Coatar with 54.9% of the vote to his 44.5%.[37] She is the first woman to be elected Board President.[4]

In December 2022, Green filed to run for re-election to a full four-year term.[38] Despite speculation that Alderwoman Sharon Tyus would mount a challenge, Tyus opted to run in the 12th ward and Green ran unopposed.[39][40] She with re-elected in April 2023 with 89% of the vote.[41]

Green was sworn in as President of Board on November 18, 2022; her inauguration ceremony was held on November 28.[5] Considered a close political ally of Mayor Tishaura Jones, Green has stated that her initial priorities as President are allocating pandemic aid funds, expanding social services, and overseeing the reduction of the Board of Aldermen from 28 to 14 members.[42]

In February 2023, the Board of Aldermen rejected a plan from President Green that would have re-allocated city funds among the wards based on perceived need rather than the current practice of equal distribution.[43] After progressives won a majority of the new 14-member Board in the April 2023 elections, Green oversaw the passage of a rules package that de-emphasized the power of seniority in the chamber.[44]