JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the resignation of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (all times local):
12:10 p.m.
A spokeswoman for St. Louis’ top prosecutor says the office agreed to drop a computer tampering charge against Gov. Eric Greitens after his attorneys suggested he would resign if the case was dismissed.
Susan Ryan, a spokeswoman for Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, told The Associated Press that defense attorneys approached the office and Ryan agreed to their proposal.
Defense attorney Jim Martin acknowledged reaching out to Gardner to resolve the issue but added, “I don’t think that’s exactly the full play.” He didn’t elaborate.
Martin says he expects a felony invasion of privacy charge against Greitens will be resolved soon as well. A special prosecutor is weighing whether to refile that charge.
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11:30 a.m.
Defense attorney Jim Martin says he’s happy “we’ve eliminated the issue” of the computer tampering charge against departing Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced Wednesday that she’s dropping that charge against Greitens. A special prosecutor is considering whether to refile an invasion of privacy charge against him. Martin says he thinks “we’ll resolve that soon” but would not elaborate.
Martin says “it’s now time to leave the governor alone and let him and his family heal.”
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11:20 a.m.
St. Louis’ top prosecutor is pushing back against Gov. Eric Greitens’ past statements that the charges she initially filed against him were part of a coordinated “witch hunt.”
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced Wednesday that she’s dropping the computer tampering charge against Greitens, who is resigning on Friday. A special prosecutor is weighing whether to refile another criminal charge against him.
Gardner says she made the agreement to dismiss the computer charge after conversations with Greitens’ attorneys. She says there was enough evidence to bring the charge but that if he were convicted, it’s unlikely Greitens would have served any jail time due to his status as a first-time offender.
As for Greitens allegations of a witch hunt, Gardner said she rejects his “shameful personal attacks” and “dangerous and false rhetoric about the criminal justice system and the rule of law.”
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11:05 a.m.
Missouri’s top legislative leaders are meeting with Lt. Gov. Mike Parson to plan the transition in power when Gov. Eric Greitens resigns.
Parson met Wednesday with House Speaker Todd Richardson, Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard and Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe.
The lawmakers said they have invited Parson to deliver a speech to a joint session of the Legislature in the coming weeks.
Greitens announced Tuesday that he was resigning Friday instead of continuing to fight a criminal charge and potential impeachment proceedings over alleged sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations.
Among those meeting Wednesday with Parson was Sarah Steelman, Greitens’ administration commissioner. Parson also was receiving enhanced security that is supplied to incoming governors.
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10:40 a.m.
The prosecutor’s office in St. Louis will drop a felony charge of computer data tampering against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, now that the Republican governor has announced his resignation.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced the decision Wednesday, a day after Greitens’ surprise announcement that he would step down effective Friday afternoon.
The charge, filed in April following an investigation by the Missouri attorney general’s office, accused Greitens of using a donor list from the veterans charity he founded, The Mission Continues, for his 2016 gubernatorial campaign.
Greitens also was indicted on felony invasion of privacy in February in St. Louis, stemming from an extramarital affair in 2015. The case was dismissed earlier this month and a special prosecutor in Jackson County is still considering whether to refile the charge.
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This story has been corrected to reflect the charity’s name as The Mission Continues.
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9 a.m.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is planning to explain the resolution of criminal charges against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens.
Gardner’s news conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.
She said Tuesday that her office has reached a “fair and just resolution” on charges of tampering with a computer against Greitens.
Greitens announced the same day that he is resigning as governor, effective Friday.
A felony indictment in February accused Greitens of taking an unauthorized and compromising photo of a St. Louis woman during an extramarital affair in 2015.
The charge was dropped earlier this month, but Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker was appointed special prosecutor to consider whether to refile it.
Baker said in a statement that the investigation is ongoing.
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8:30 a.m.
On a dreary overcast day, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens stood in a light rain near the Governor’s Mansion and recounted his grueling training as a Navy SEAL officer to suggest he would never quit fighting allegations of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations.
Less than two weeks later, Greitens announced Tuesday that he is quitting with his mission incomplete.
Greitens’ departure will become official at 5 p.m. Friday — marking a stunning political defeat for the 44-year-old, self-made warrior-philosopher who had aspirations of someday becoming president.
For those fellow Republicans who had strenuously urged his resignation, Greitens’ exit provides the divided party a chance to reunify at the start of a summer campaign season in which it’s seeking to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill.
