Wallingford not rushing to judgment on Greitens

Editor's Note: This story has been corrected due to a source error regarding the impeachment process.

While GOP leaders in the Missouri House and Senate have called on scandal-ridden Gov. Eric Greitens to resign, state Sen. Wayne Wallingford said he is not ready to "rush to judgment."

Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, said he is not ready to call for the governor to resign while a criminal charge against Greitens has yet to go to trial.

"People are trying to try this case in the media," he said. Wallingford added, "I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. I believe you are innocent until proven guilty."

The state senator said, "I support the judicial system."

Greitens faces a criminal invasion of privacy charge. He's accused of taking a nonconsensual photo of a partially nude woman with whom he had an affair in 2015 before he was elected governor.

Republican legislative leaders joined together Tuesday to demand Greitens resign. State Senate president Ron Richard, R-Joplin, stated the governor should resign or be impeached.

But a day later, Wallingford was not jumping on the bandwagon.

Despite the comments of some Senate leaders, Wallingford said GOP senators as a whole have "not fallen in line behind this."

GOP leadership could be tarnished if Greitens is found innocent, Wallingford said.

The recent call by leaders in his own party for Greitens to resign partly reflects the fact the governor has few friends in Jefferson City, Wallingford said.

As governor, Greitens repeatedly has criticized lawmakers as being unethical. "He didn't make many friends doing this," the Cape Girardeau lawmaker said.

But Wallingford said he did not let the governor's comments about the Legislature affect his legislative dealings with the governor.

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley said earlier this week an investigation by his office determined Greitens committed another crime by using a donor list from the veterans' charity he founded, The Mission Continues, to raise money for his gubernatorial campaign without the charity's permission, The Associated Press reported.

Since the incident happened in St. Louis, it would be up to the city prosecutor whether to file charges, Hawley said.

But Wallingford said he is not ready to accept the attorney general's opinion. "I just think it is premature," he said, adding the governor maintained it was "an in-kind donation."

As for calls for impeachment, Wallingford questioned whether Greitens could be impeached for an alleged offense occurring before he became governor.

It takes a simple majority vote of the Missouri House of Representatives to send articles of impeachment to the state Senate. The case would be tried by a special commission of �seven eminent jurists� to be elected by the Senate.

Meanwhile with a month left in the regular session, Wallingford said his focus remains on the legislative agenda.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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