The bipartisan Missouri House committee investigating Governor Eric Greitens’ indictment is on-schedule, according to committee chairman Jay Barnes.
Missouri House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight Chairman Jay Barnes briefs reporters on March 14, 2018 (photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)
The veteran Jefferson City Republican held a brief news conference with the Capitol Press Corps on Wednesday, to provide an update on the committee’s progress.
“The committee has been moving quickly, we’ve had five hearings in two weeks, spoken to a number of witnesses,” Barnes says. “There are additional witnesses with whom we plan to speak.”
Barnes says the House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight will meet next Friday afternoon in Jefferson City, during the legislative spring break.
“I want you guys (Capitol reporters) to know that there has been a court reporter at every hearing taking a transcription of the proceedings. Those transcriptions will be released at the point in time in which we are concluding our investigation,” says Barnes.
Barnes says the committee will have the right to redact information to protect privacy.
The committee will issue a public report at the investigation’s conclusion.
A St. Louis City grand jury has indicted Greitens on one felony count of invasion of privacy.
Greitens’ lawyer, former U.S. Attorney Ed Dowd, has filed a motion to dismiss.
While Barnes won’t provide names or specifics, he confirms the committee has used some subpoenas. Chairman Barnes also says the committee would like to get information from St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s investigation.
“We have not received that information. We’ve requested that, we’ve had some discussions,” Barnes says. “There is an order in that case not to release the information to third parties. We may choose to go down that path in the future to get that information.”
Barnes has urged reporters to respect the privacy of witnesses in this case.
Barnes answered reporters’ questions for four minutes on Wednesday, before turning around and walking out of the room.
Click here to listen to Missouri House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight Chairman Jay Barnes’ March 14, 2018 press conference in Jefferson City:
