2 Cape County lawmakers call for Gov. Greitens to resign

Two Cape Girardeau County lawmakers added their voices to a growing number of state legislators calling on indicted Gov. Eric Greitens to resign.

Republican state Reps. Donna Lichtenegger of Jackson and Kathy Swan of Cape Girardeau said Friday the governor should step down for his unethical behavior.

But two other area lawmakers are not calling for Greitens to resign.

Both state Reps. Holly Rehder, a Scott County Republican, and Rick Francis, R-Perryville, said the governor is entitled to due process.

The Southeast Missourian also reached out to state Sen. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, for comment. As of late Friday afternoon, voice messages had not been returned.

Donna Lichtenegger

Greitens was indicted by a grand jury, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced Thursday.

The indictment charges him with felony invasion of privacy, alleging he took a compromising photo of a woman during an extramarital affair in 2015, a year before he was elected governor.

Greitens, 43, has said he had an affair, but did not commit a crime.

But Lichtenegger said that �for me, it is no longer a matter of whether he is guilty or not guilty.�

The Jackson lawmaker said, �The point is that he ran on morals and high character. He has lied to the people, and he has lied to his family, and he has disgraced his family.�

Kathy Swan

Lichtenegger insisted it is not a Republican or Democratic issue.

�This is an issue for our state and the way that our citizens expect us to govern,� she said.

�Our citizens deserve people of good moral and exceptional character,� Lichtenegger said. �For the good of his family and the citizens of Missouri, I am asking Gov. Greitens to resign immediately.�

Swan voiced similar sentiments.

�Those of us privileged to serve in public office must hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards,� the Cape Girardeau lawmaker said.

Holly Rehder

�While an indictment is not a conviction, the grave nature of this issue compromises those ethical standards,� she said. �To best serve the people of Missouri, the governor should give serious consideration to resigning his position.�

Swan and Lichtenegger said many of the women lawmakers in the Missouri House agree Greitens should resign.

Swan said the controversy surrounding the governor �has become a distraction� at the state capitol.

�Let�s face it, by us fielding questions from our community and the news media, it is taking away from time when we should be focusing more on the good things we can do for the people of this state,� Swan said.

She added everyone should have good ethics.

Rick Francis

�Certainly, if you are in elected office, you should be able to walk the talk,� Swan said.

Three House GOP leaders including House Speaker Todd Richardson of Poplar Bluff announced in a written statement they will task a group of lawmakers �to investigate these serious charges.�

In an emailed statement, they said, �We will carefully examine the facts contained in the indictment and answer the question as to whether or not the governor can lead our state while a felony case moves forward.�

Swan suggested House leaders had to take that step.

�I don�t know that we have a choice,� she said. �We have our role. If there has to be a need for any type of impeachment proceeding, it starts in the House.�

Greitens has accused the St. Louis city prosecutor of playing politics.

He said �the people of Missouri deserve better than a reckless liberal prosecutor who uses her office to score political points,� The Associated Press reported.

Francis, the Perryville lawmaker, said �the Democratic lawmaker may or may not be doing it for political reasons.�

An indictment does not mean Greitens is guilty, Francis said.

He said Greitens has insisted he did nothing illegal and the extramarital affair was consensual.

Greitens is charged with photographing the woman �in a state of full or partial nudity� without her consent. The indictment alleges Greitens transmitted the photo �in a manner that allowed access to that image via a computer,� The Associated Press reported.

Francis said he opposes a House investigation at this time.

�I don�t think it needs to be done,� he said. �Let�s not create a distraction.�

Rehder, the Scott County lawmaker, said the case is still proceeding through the courts.

�I think we must allow this to play out properly,� she said, adding it is important �to find out what is factual and what is not� regarding the case.

Rehder said the controversy has not hindered the ability of lawmakers to pass legislation, nor the ability of Greitens to implement �great policy.�

She said Greitens� policies have �lined up with Southeast Missouri values.�

mbliss@semissourian.com

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