Area lawmakers postponing judgment in Greitens' affair scandal

Four Southeast Missouri lawmakers said they won�t rush to judgment over Gov. Eric Greitens� admission to having had an extramarital affair before he became governor.

Greitens has denied allegations he took compromising photos of the woman and then blackmailed her with them to keep quiet about the affair. Multiple media outlets have published audio recordings of the mistress making those claims during her confession of the affair to her then-husband, who was secretly recording her.

State Reps. Kathy Swan, Donna Lichtenegger, Holly Rehder and Rick Francis said they will await the results of an investigation that has been launched by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney�s Office.

Several of their Republican colleagues in the House have called for Greitens to resign. But the four Southeast Missouri lawmakers said they are not ready to make such a call.

All four lawmakers said it is important to get all the facts.

Rick Francis

Francis, R-Perryville, said, �I cannot and will not condone the actions of our governor.�

But he said so far there only has been an allegation of blackmail.

�At this point, we need to take a pause. It is currently under investigation,� he said.

Francis said he hopes Greitens will be �forthright with the facts.�

He added, �The only thing we can do at this point is pray for all that are involved.�

Francis said he has confidence Greitens can continue to perform his duties as governor despite the controversy. �I think our governor can walk and chew gum at the same time,� he said.

Holly Rehder

Rehder, a Scott County Republican, said in an emailed statement that �words cannot express how utterly disappointed I am from the recent news on our governor. This is a tragedy for both families, and I�ll continue to pray for them.�

Rehder said, �I was raised in horrific domestic violence and have dealt with sexual abuse on many levels. I want to know the truth just as all of you do.�

Toward that end, she said it is important not to rush to judgment and �get this wrong.� In a subsequent phone interview, Rehder said, �We lose nothing by allowing this process to play out.� She and her fellow lawmakers in the House said they want to remain focused on passing legislation.

�We have some really good bills that we need to pass for our constituents and for the betterment of our state,� Rehder said.

Lichtenegger, R-Jackson, said lawmakers need to focus on legislation.

�We have to be able to conduct the people�s business,� she said.

Donna Lichtenegger

Lichtenegger said Greitens has apologized for the affair.

�Right now there is an investigation going on and my husband (who is an attorney) told me a long time ago to keep your mouth shut if you don�t know anything.�

Swan, R-Cape Girardeau, said she talked to Greitens.

�He admitted to the affair and he was apologizing for it,� she said.

Kathy Swan

Before lawmakers can make a judgment call, Swan said �we need to see what facts come forward.�

She noted the underlying situation of Greitens� extramarital affair happened before he took office. For now, Swan said she is focused on legislation before the House on numerous issues involving education.

�I am actively involved in what I need to be doing,� she said, adding that the governor�s issue �is not disrupting me.�

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641