Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley says evidence shows fellow Republican Governor Eric Greitens might have committed a felony by taking and using a charity donor list for campaign fundraising. Hawley says the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office holds the power to decide whether to file charges against Greitens for allegedly getting the list without permission of officials from Greitens’ former St. Louis charity – The Mission Continues.
Gov. Greitens
“We have uncovered evidence of wrongdoing that goes beyond Missouri’s charity laws,” Hawley says. “To be specific, within the past several days, we have obtained evidence of potential criminal violations. As soon as we had evidence that we felt would rise to the level of probable cause, that’s the standard for charging a crime, we immediately moved to turn that evidence over.”
During a press conference today at his Jefferson City office, Hawley says that Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, a Democrat, must decide soon whether to pursue charges because of a law limiting how long legal action can be taken after a potential crime is committed. Hawley would not elaborate on the deadline for the statute of limitations but says it’s quickly approaching.
Missourinet has contacted Gardner’s office and it is reviewing the evidence. Her office has no comment on when a decision would be made about potential charges being filed.
Hawley says his investigation has not uncovered evidence of wrongdoing by the charity at this time, but his probe continues. The Attorney General’s office will also be sharing the evidence with a Missouri House committee investigating the governor.
Hawley’s announcement comes one day after Greitens’ attorney said the Attorney General’s Office should drop this investigation because Hawley urging Greitens to resign last week “clearly compromised” Hawley’s investigation. The attorney general calls the claim frivolous because the call was about allegations of sexual misconduct against Greitens – not the investigation into The Mission Continues.
Missourinet has contacted the Governor’s Office and is awaiting a response.
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