JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Latest on allegations against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (all times local):
7:50 p.m.
Rules proposed in the Missouri House would let the public watch hearings leading to the potential impeachment of Gov. Eric Greitens but would prohibit his attorneys from questioning witnesses.
The proposed rules were filed Friday evening as the House opened a historic special session to consider whether to pursue disciplinary action against Greitens.
The Republican governor faces allegations of sexual misconduct, misuse of a charity donor list for political purposes and potentially other campaign-related issues.
Greitens’ attorneys want the right to call and cross-examine witnesses. But the proposed rules filed by GOP Rep. Jay Barnes and Democratic Rep. Gina Mitten wouldn’t allow that.
The rules would require hearings of the special investigatory committee to be open to the public in most circumstances and to be live-streamed.
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7 p.m.
Missouri lawmakers have opened a historic special session to consider whether to impeach Republican Gov. Eric Greitens for various allegations of wrongdoing.
Friday’s opening evening of the special session was largely procedural. But the monthlong session will delve into allegations of sexual misconduct, misuse of a charity donor list for political fundraising and potentially other campaign issues.
Greitens is fighting against a possible impeachment attempt.
He already faces a felony charge of tampering with computer data for allegedly disclosing The Mission Continues donor list to his political fundraiser in 2015 without the permission of the veterans’ charity he founded.
A prosecutor dropped a felony charge Monday stemming from Greitens’ conduct in an extramarital affair.
Another prosecutor decided Friday not to charge Greitens with filing a false campaign finance report.
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5:20 p.m.
The Missouri attorney general says Gov. Eric Greitens’ office doesn’t have the legal authority to hire private attorneys to represent the office in potential impeachment proceedings.
Attorney General Josh Hawley said in a letter Friday that he must consent to the hiring of private attorneys to represent state offices. Hawley says Greitens’ office never asked him for permission before hiring attorneys Ross Garber and Eddie Greim.
Hawley’s letter was sent to Auditor Nicole Galloway, who in turn shared it with the treasurer and administration offices responsible for processing state payments.
Greitens spokesman Parker Briden says it’s a long-established fact that the governor’s office has the ability to hire attorneys.
Garber is to be paid $320 an hour and Greim’s firm is to get $340 an hour.
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1:30 p.m.
A Missouri prosecutor won’t be charging Gov. Eric Greitens with filing a false campaign finance report about a charity donor list.
Cole County Prosecutor Mark Richardson issued a brief statement Friday saying he had received information from Attorney General Josh Hawley’s investigation into Greitens but decided not to file a charge. He didn’t say why not and declined to comment further.
A Hawley spokeswoman said the office continues to believe there was probable cause for a charge of filing a false document.
As part of a settlement with the Missouri Ethics Commission, Greitens’ campaign filed an amended finance report in April 2017 indicating it received a charity donor list from former campaign manager Danny Laub.
But testimony since then has pointed to Greitens as an original source of the list.
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12:10 p.m.
A Missouri prosecutor says he won’t be filing any charges against Gov. Eric Greitens related to a campaign finance report about his use of a charity donor list.
Cole County Prosecutor Mark Richardson issued a brief statement Friday confirming he received information from Attorney General Josh Hawley’s investigation into Greitens’ campaign.
Richardson said he decided not to file the criminal charge suggested by Hawley’s office. But he offered no explanation of why not and said he would have no further comment.
As part of a settlement with the Missouri Ethics Commission, Greitens’ campaign filed an amended finance report in 2017 indicating it had received a charity donor list from former campaign manager Danny Laub.
But testimony since then has pointed to Greitens as an original source of the list.
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12:05 a.m.
The case against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is shifting from a St. Louis courtroom to a Capitol committee room.
A special legislative session devoted to allegations against the Republican governor is scheduled to begin Friday evening. The key question during the 30-day session will be whether to impeach Greitens in an effort to oust him from office.
A St. Louis prosecutor dropped a felony charge earlier this week accusing Greitens of taking a nonconsensual photo of a partially nude woman in 2015.
Allegations of sexual misconduct are likely to be revived during the special session. Lawmakers also will be looking into whether Greitens misused a charity donor list for political fundraising and committed other campaign finance violations.
Attorneys for the governor want the right to question witnesses during legislative proceedings.
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