A special House committee investigating Governor Eric Greitens heard testimony from an early political advisor Tuesday.
Michael Hafner was paid by Greitens shortly before and continuing after Greitens formed a campaign committee. Hafner told the House panel that Greitens had been soliciting donations before he formed a campaign committee on February 25, 2018.
He said his total pay exceeded $500 in his first two weeks on Greitens payroll staring on about January 5.
State law requires candidates for statewide office to form a campaign committee if they spend or receive more than $500 dollars. According to Hafner, Greitens failed to do so until a month later.
The House committee is looking into accusations that Greitens broke campaign finance laws during a special session of the legislature on the possible impeachment of the governor.
A report issued by the committee early this month indicated that Greitens violated campaign finance laws by paying advisors personally or through one of his groups before forming his campaign committee.
Hafner stated that he advised Greitens to form a committee in order raise money in the fall of 2014 but said Greitens wanted to wait and launch his campaign in conjunction with the release of a book he’d written in the spring of 2015. He said Greitens though doing so would create a bigger buzz around his candidacy.
The story will include additional information later today