Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens calls it an “entirely consensual relationship.” But the woman with whom he has acknowledged having an affair says Greitens spanked, slapped, grabbed and shoved her during a series of sexual encounters that at times left her crying and afraid.
The woman’s graphic testimony was revealed in a report released Wednesday by a special Missouri legislative committee that now is expanding its mission to recommend whether lawmakers should begin impeachment proceedings to try to remove the Republican governor from office. Some prominent politicians — including Republican state Attorney General Josh Hawley and Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, whom Hawley is challenging — are calling on Greitens to immediately resign.
But Greitens is vowing to remain in office and prove his innocence against mounting allegations that he denounced as “lies and falsehoods.” Greitens, 44, is to go to trial May 14 in St. Louis on a felony indictment of invasion of privacy for allegedly taking and transmitting a nonconsensual photo of the woman while she was partially nude. Separately, the special House committee is to recommend after the legislative session ends May 18 whether to pursue impeachment.
Legislative leaders said they will call themselves into a special session. The legislative report released was signed by all five Republicans and two Democrats on the committee. It describes the woman’s testimony as credible and notes that Greitens has so far declined to testify or provide documents to the panel.
The woman told the committee Greitens took a photo of her after manipulating her into a compromising position during an unwanted sexual encounter in his home and told her “everyone will know what a little whore you are” if she told anyone about him.
