A judge rejected a bid by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) for a trial by judge, not a jury, on Greitens’ felony invasion of privacy case, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
The trial is set for May 14.
Staffer Says Greitens Won’t Campaign for Hawley
Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Josh Hawley (R) appears to be distancing himself from embattled Gov. Eric Greitens (R) as he prepares to kick into full gear his campaign to unseat Sen. Claire McCaskill (D), the Missourian reports.
Hawley consultant Brad Todd told reporters that Greitens “has plenty of things on his plate” and said not to expect him on the campaign trail.
Said Todd: “The election is going to be a whole lot more about what happens on the floor of the Senate than in the basement of the Greitens’ house.”
Prosecutors Do Not Have Photo in Greitens Case
“Prosecutors in St. Louis do not possess the photograph that Gov. Eric Greitens (R) allegedly took of a woman without her consent,” the Kansas City Star reports.
“Greitens faces a felony indictment for invasion of privacy based on allegations that in 2015 he photographed a woman while she was blindfolded and partly nude in an effort to keep her from talking about the extramarital affair. The case could hinge on whether prosecutors can prove the photo’s existence.”
“The governor has refused to directly answer whether he took it.”
Missouri Launches Impeachment Probe
“In a historic decision, the Missouri House formally launched an investigation Monday that could lead to the impeachment and ouster of Gov. Eric Greitens (R),” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
“House Speaker Todd Richardson (R) named seven members to a special committee that will lead the unprecedented probe of a Missouri chief executive.”
Missouri Lawmakers Move Towards Impeaching Greitens
“The process of deciding whether to impeach scandal-plagued Gov. Eric Greitens (R) will begin as early as Monday in the Missouri House of Representatives,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
“House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-MO)_ spent Thursday and Friday reviewing which members of the Legislature’s lower chamber would be named to a special committee to investigate the charges against the embattled chief executive.”
Republicans Have a Big Problem In Missouri
First Read: “The felony indictment of Republican Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens — for allegedly taking a compromising photo of a woman with whom he was having an affair — could have a ripple effect well beyond the governor’s mansion.”
“For one thing, Missouri is holding one of the most competitive Senate races in the country between incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and likely GOP opponent Josh Hawley, who just happens to be the state’s top law-enforcement official as state attorney general. Additionally, the Greitens matter isn’t going away anytime soon, because Greitens is fighting the charge, and because the state House is investigating it.”
“The McCaskill-Hawley race, right now, is viewed as a 50-50 contest, with control of the U.S. Senate possibly on the line for whichever party wins it. And this felony indictment will be in the background. Possibly for months.”
Missouri House Passes ‘Revenge Porn’ Bill
“The Missouri House gave initial approval Tuesday to a bill that would make it a felony to threaten someone with publicizing a private sexually explicit image — although the bill’s sponsor insists it has nothing to do with the allegations surrounding Gov. Eric Greitens (R),” the Kansas City Star reports.
“Greitens has admitted he had an extramarital affair in 2015. He is under criminal investigation for allegedly threatening to release a nude photograph of the woman, taken while she was blindfolded and her hands were bound, if she spoke about the affair.”
Greitens Adds to His Defense Team
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) “has added a new lawyer to his team amidst investigations surrounding allegations of blackmail during an extramarital affair,” KMOV reports.
“Local attorneys say Garvey’s hiring could signal a shift in Greitens’ strategy to begin to prepare for the possibility of having to defend himself in criminal proceedings.”
Grand Jury Investigating Missouri Governor’s Affair
“The man whose then-wife had an affair with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) has been subpoenaed to testify before a St. Louis grand jury,” the AP reports.
“Greitens, a Republican, admitted on Jan. 10 to a monthslong affair with his St. Louis hairdresser in 2015, before he was governor. The woman’s ex-husband secretly recorded a conversation with her in which she claimed that Greitens took a compromising photo as potential blackmail if she spoke about the relationship. Greitens has repeatedly denied threatening to blackmail the woman. He has not answered directly when asked if he took a photo.”
Missouri Governor Sued Over Disappearing Messages
Missouri Gov. Eric Greiten’s (R) office is being sued over its use of Confide, “an ephemeral messaging mobile app, which they say is in violation of state public records law,” Ars Technica reports.
“Confide, like Signal and other popular encrypted-messaging apps, auto-deletes messages after a certain period of time, making automated record-keeping of those messages very difficult, if not impossible. Use of such apps by public employees for official business is almost certain to run afoul of transparency laws.”
Greitens Talks About His Affair
The newly-released audio from an Associated Press interview with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) is pretty remarkable. He says at the outset, “I want you guys to ask every question you have.”
But then he got the questions.
Greitens Says He Won’t Resign
In his first interview since acknowledging an extramarital affair, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) told the Associated Press that there was “no blackmail” and “no threat of violence” by him in what he described as a months-long “consensual relationship” with his former hairdresser.
Greitens added that he has no plans to resign from office as a result of the affair: “I’m staying. I’m staying.”
“Grietens did not directly say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when asked if he had bound and blindfolded and taken a photo of the woman. But he firmly denied that he had attempted to coerce the woman.”
FBI Opens Inquiry Into Greitens
The FBI recently opened an inquiry into Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) as he fights an allegation of blackmail and faces calls to resign just a year into his job, CNN reports.
GOP Lawmakers Call on Greitens to Resign
“At least four Republican lawmakers are calling for Gov. Eric Greitens (R) to resign after allegations that he blackmailed a woman in an effort to keep her quiet about an extramarital affair,” the Kansas City Star reports.
“Greitens has admitted to the affair but has vehemently denied the allegations that in 2015 he took a nude photograph of a woman — while she was blindfolded and her hands were bound — and threatened to release it if she spoke about the affair.”
Greitens Stays In Hiding
Embattled Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) “has called off a statewide tour to promote a tax cut plan as he continues to face fallout from bombshell allegations that he threatened a former mistress with blackmail,” CNN reports.
“Greitens appears poised to remain out of the public eye this week, however, as the controversy continues to swirl.”
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the governor’s aides “would not reveal his whereabouts.”
Greitens Fights to Preserve His Political Career
“Five Republican lawmakers told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that they received calls from the governor since the news of the affair broke Wednesday.”
“The phone calls underscore the lengths to which [Missouri Gov. Eric] Greitens, a Republican, is going to preserve his political career. In the past, Greitens has derided members of the Legislature, at one point comparing them to third-graders and calling them into Jefferson City for two special sessions last summer, which he called ‘summer school.’”
“Now, he is seeking their support as well as trying to shore up support among his donors.”
Missouri Governor Allegedly Slapped Ex-Lover
“The woman who had an affair with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R) in 2015 told her then-husband that Greitens slapped her against her will, after she told Greitens she had had sex with her husband,” TPM reports.
A lawyer for Greitens denied the claim.
According to the Washington Examiner, Greitens told campaign contributors during a conference call that he was committed to continuing in office.
Missouri Governor Faces Call for Investigation
“A bipartisan group of state senators is calling for Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley to investigate allegations that Gov. Eric Greitens (R) threatened to blackmail a woman with whom he had an affair in 2015,” the Kansas City Star reports.
“At least one says that if the allegations are true, Greitens should either resign or be impeached.”
