JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Attorneys for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens have asked a judge to block Attorney General Josh Hawley from any investigation or prosecution of the governor.
A filing in Cole County Circuit Court says Hawley should be barred from any probe related to Greitens because the attorney general called on Greitens to resign following a legislative report that contained allegations that Greitens had been physically aggressive toward a woman during sexual encounters in 2015.
Greitens’ attorneys say the court should appoint a special prosecutor to handle any investigation or prosecution of Greitens.
Hawley says it’s a “frivolous motion.”
On Tuesday, Hawley suggested that the St. Louis prosecutor could file a felony charge against Greitens for allegedly taking a donor list without permission from a veterans’ charity he founded and using it for his gubernatorial campaign.
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Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is defying calls to resign from top Republican lawmakers and instead banking on the support of regular Republican voters as he fights allegations of sexual and political misconduct.
Greitens’ bravado against lawmakers who could impeach him may be politically risking. But it also may help shape his image outside the Capitol.
Some supporters told The Associated Press on Wednesday that they continue to stand by Greitens. One woman said she would do so even if Greitens were accused of dancing naked with a llama. His supporters say Greitens deserves his day in court.
Greitens faces a May 14 trial on a felony invasion of privacy charge related to an affair. He also has been accused of wrongly using a charity donor list for his political campaign.
