Walsh, Rowden differ on Greitens report

Ashland State Rep. Sara Walsh called testimony released by the Missouri House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight as “very disturbing and graphic allegations regarding Gov. (Eric) Greitens.”

However, Walsh still did not call for Greitens to step aside or be impeached.

However, Sen. Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, who represents Boone and Cooper Counties left no doubt where he stood.

“Gov. Greitens’ troubling conduct is an insult not only to my moral values, but also to the values of millions of Missourians. Should the Governor fail to resign immediately, for the good of our state and our principles, I believe the Missouri House should move swiftly toward impeachment,” Rowden wrote in a statement.

The two differing statements of elected officials who represent Southern Boone came after the Missouri House committee investigating the Greitens affair released testimony which included vivid detail of the affair between then-candidate Greitens and his hair dresser.

The report details several instances in which the woman said she was spanked, slapped or grabbed and that Greitens called her names during their encounters. The woman testified that she was tied to exercise equipment in the Greitens’ home basement and that after she began crying and told him to stop, Greitens helped her undo the tape. Then he exposed himself and she felt coerced into providing him oral sex.

The committee, led by Rep. Todd Richardson, concluded that the woman was a credible witness.
Greitens will stand trial on felony charges in May for allegedly taking a photo of the near-naked woman without her consent and sending that photo electronically while threatening to release the photo if she told anyone about the affair.

Greitens labeled the report as “tabloid trash, gossip,” in a live statement one hour before the committee released its findings.

“I want to say again what I’ve said from the beginning: This is a political witch hunt,” Greitens said from the State Capitol. “I will continue to serve the people of Missouri as their governor and to work for you every day. And they know, they need to know, that fake charges and falsehoods aren’t going to stop us.”

Greitens has maintained the affair was consensual and the claim of violence or sexual assault was false.

However, a number of leading State officials called for Greitens to resign, including Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway.

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley also called for Greitens to step down.

“The conduct the report details is certainly impeachable, in my judgement,” Hawley said.

Walsh said she would not take a public stance on what she thinks of Greitens’ future until the Missouri House hears all of the evidence.

“We have a responsibility entrusted to us by the Constitution and the House collectively will take action based upon the evidence,” Walsh wrote on her Facebook page.