JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the investigations of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (all times local):
5:45 p.m.
Records obtained by The Associated Press show that Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ administration posted a document online bearing an authorized signature of another elected official.
At issue is an executive order issued by Greitens shortly after he took office in January 2017 that directed state agencies to look for ways to cut regulations.
Records provided Friday to the AP show the version posted to the governor’s website differed from the official version filed with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. Although Ashcroft never approved the version on the governor’s website, his signature nonetheless appeared at the bottom of it.
Governor’s spokesman Parker Briden said staff accidentally uploaded a draft version. But Briden said he didn’t know how or why Ashcroft’s signature came to be placed on it.
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12:30 p.m.
Attorneys for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens are renewing a request to have the judge, not a jury, decide the felony invasion of privacy case facing the Republican governor.
A court filing late Thursday cites negative publicity that has “destroyed any chance of obtaining a fair trial.”
The charge stems from an extramarital affair in 2015, before Greitens was elected. He has admitted to the affair but denied criminal wrongdoing.
Greitens is accused of taking an unauthorized photo of the woman while she was partially nude, blindfolded and bound.
In addition to negative news coverage, the motion criticizes the Missouri House for releasing reports so close to the trial. Jury selection begins May 10 and the trial is scheduled to start May 14.
Judge Rex Burlison in March denied Greitens’ first request for a bench trial.
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Midnight
The Missouri Legislature will convene later this month to consider impeaching Gov. Eric Greitens following allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of charity resources.
House and Senate leaders announced Thursday that they had enough petition signatures of lawmakers to convene a special session at 6:30 p.m. on May 18 — just 30 minutes after the regular session ends.
It will mark the first time in Missouri history that a Legislature has called itself into a special session.
The move comes as Greitens faces two felony charges — one related to a 2015 extramarital affair and the other to using a charity donor list for his gubernatorial campaign.
If the House votes to impeach Greitens, the Senate would choose a judicial panel to conduct a trial on whether to remove him from office.
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