A Democratic state senator in Missouri is calling for Republican Gov. Eric Greitens to resign after he acknowledged he cheated on his wife.
The Latest on Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens acknowledging he cheated on his wife but denying blackmail allegations (all times local):
9:05 a.m.
A Democratic state senator in Missouri is calling for Gov. Eric Greitens to resign after the Republican acknowledged he cheated on his wife.
State Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, of St. Louis, made the demand in a series of tweets Wednesday night and Thursday morning. She says Greitens has called for an end to the „culture of corruption“ and that it is time for him to „walk the walk.“
She says Greitens‘ resignation would „give Missouri the opportunity to restore some dignity to the governor’s office.“
A TV station reported late Wednesday that Greitens had a sexual relationship with his former hairdresser in 2015. Greitens‘ wife, Sheena, said in a statement they still have „a loving marriage.“
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8.15 a.m.
The wife of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens says she has „a loving marriage and an awesome family,“ despite her Republican husband’s admitted infidelity before he was voted into office.
Sheena Greitens said in a statement that „anything beyond that is between us and God.“
She is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri and co-director of the university’s Institute for Korean Studies.
Responding to allegations that her husband tried to blackmail the woman with whom he is alleged to have had an affair, Greitens urged „the media and those who wish to peddle gossip to stay away from me and my children.“
She and her husband also released a joint statement Wednesday acknowledging the affair and describing it as a „deeply personal mistake.“
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12:08 a.m.
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens acknowledges he was „unfaithful“ in his marriage but denies allegations that he blackmailed the woman he had an extramarital affair with to stay quiet.
The Republican governor and his wife released a statement Wednesday night. It came after St. Louis television station KMOV reported that Greitens had a sexual relationship with his former hairdresser in 2015. The station reported that the woman’s ex-husband alleged Greitens photographed her nude and threatened to publicize the images if she spoke about the affair.
The woman allegedly involved did not comment on the record to the station, which released its report late Wednesday after Greitens gave his State of the State speech. But her ex-husband provided a recording of her detailing a sexual encounter with Greitens and saying Greitens told her the photos would be released if she exposed the affair. She did not know she was being recorded.
Greitens‘ statement with his wife, Sheena, didn’t address the affair specifically or the allegations, but in a separate statement Greitens‘ attorney, Jim Bennett, said, „There was no blackmail and that claim is false.“
