State Rep. Bill White did not sign on the dotted line in support of calling a special session to consider impeaching Governor Eric Greitens. White, a fellow Republican from Joplin, tells Missourinet affiliate KZRG calling one is premature.
“There’s no reason, now, for us to sign authorizing a special session. We can do that at any time. There’s a lot of pressure, in my opinion, going on here,” he says.
Despite White’s opposition, enough signatures have been gathered to begin a special session.
“There seems to be artificial deadlines out there that we must do it right now before the end of the session,” he says.
White is a senior member in the Missouri House and is serving his eighth and final year in that chamber.
The regular session will end on May 18. The special session will start 30 minutes after the regular session ends.
In the Missouri House, 138 members have signed the petition. In the Senate, 29 members support a special session.
Lawmakers will consider allegations that Greitens took and transmitted an unauthorized nude photo of his mistress in 2015 and misused charity resources to fund his political campaign.
Greitens denies any criminal accusations.
By Sarah Novotny of Missourinet affiliate KZRG in Joplin