Governor indicted in privacy violation

ST. LOUIS » A grand jury Thursday indicted Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens on a felony invasion of privacy charge for allegedly taking a compromising photo of a woman with whom he had an affair in 2015.

The Republican governor responded that he made a mistake but committed no crime.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner launched an investigation in January after Greitens admitted to an affair with his St. Louis hairdresser that began in March 2015. He was elected governor in November 2016. Gardner, a Democrat, declined comment beyond a news release.

In a statement following the indictment, Greitens was defiant and attacked the prosecutor who brought the charge.

“As I have said before, I made a personal mistake before I was Governor,” he said. “I did not commit a crime. With today’s disappointing and misguided political decision, my confidence in our prosecutorial system is shaken, but not broken. I know this will be righted soon. The people of Missouri deserve better than a reckless liberal prosecutor who uses her office to score political points.”

Greitens’ attorney, in a separate statement, called the indictment “baseless and unfounded.”

“In 40 years of public and private practice, I have never seen anything like this,” attorney Edward L. Dowd Jr. said.

Greitens’ legal team immediately filed a motion to dismiss the indictment on the grounds that any relationship with the woman was consensual.

Reaction from Missouri lawmakers was swift, with some Democrats calling for him to resign and some fellow Republicans also doubtful that he can survive in office.

Republican House leaders said they are launching an investigation of Greitens, which House Communication Director Trevor Fox said is needed before impeachment proceedings could begin.