The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published May 9, 2018

Franklin votes for special session on Greitens

JEFFERSON CITY – Local representative Diane Franklin has added her signature to a petition calling for a special session to possibly discipline and maybe impeach Governor Eric Greitens over unproven allegations.

Greitens has been accused of inappropriate actions during an affair he had several years ago before he ran for the office of Governor.

Greitens has admitted to the affair but has denied threatening or abusing the woman who had an affair with him.

Franklin, Representative of District 123, is currently campaigning for the seat of State Senator District 16 currently held by Dan Brown.

On her first quarter financial report filed in April, she reported $124,285 in her campaign funds with $100,000 of that money being a loan from herself given on March 30.

The petition was signed to “call the Missouri General Assembly into special session for the sole purpose of considering the findings and recommendations of the House of Representatives Special Investigative Committee on Oversight including, but not limited to, disciplinary actions against the governor.”

Senate Leader Ron Richard, R-Joplin, claims that The Senate respects the process outlined in the Missouri Constitution; however, it’s not something that will happen overnight.

“The process has monumental consequences, and the gravity of what we are commencing is not taken lightly,” stated Sen. Richard. “I believe we should give the House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight more time so they can continue their investigation and make sure they have all the facts. The House and Senate both have different roles in this process; however, the Senate stands ready to do our constitutional duty if it becomes necessary.”

The special session will commence at 6:30 pm on Friday, May 18, 2018.

A case has been filed against Greitens in St. Louis but has not gone to trial yet. All of the accusations are just that – accusations - and none of them have been proven true in a court of law, something Greitens has repeatedly stated.

In an email from Greitens on April 20, he defended himself and claimed innocence.

“Two months ago, a prosecutor brought a case against me. She claimed she had evidence of a crime - but she’s produced none. She said her investigator would find the truth. Instead, her investigator lied under oath and created false evidence. And she is using thousands and thousands of taxpayer dollars to do all of this.”

“Thank goodness for the Constitution and our court system. In the United States of America, you’re innocent until proven guilty. In the United States of America, you get your day in court. And when I have my day in court, I will clear my name. People will know the truth.”

However, the special session could remove the governor from office before the trial reaches a conclusion and politics are weighing heavily in this case.

“Eric Greitens should have resigned weeks ago. Unfortunately, he has refused to do the right thing,” said Senate Democratic Leader Gina Walsh “That’s why members of the Senate Democratic Caucus have joined our Republican colleagues in calling the Missouri General Assembly into Special Session immediately following the conclusion of regular business to consider the impeachment of the governor.”

On April 11, Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley (Republican) also called for Greitens to resign even though Hawley claimed he is innocent until proven guilty.

“The House Investigative Committee’s Report contains shocking, substantial, and corroborated evidence of wrongdoing by Governor Greitens, Hawley said. “The conduct the Report details is certainly impeachable, in my judgment, and the House is well within its rights to proceed on that front. But the people of Missouri should not be put through that ordeal. Governor Greitens should resign immediately.”

Hawley is campaigning heavily to replace Democrat Claire McCaskill in Washington DC.

McCaskill has also, predictably, called for Greitens to resign based on the unproven allegations.

A portion of the official petition says:

“We, the undersigned, constituting at least three-fourths of the members of the Senate and at least three-fourths of the members of the House of Representatives pursuant to Article III, Section 20 (b) of the Constitution of Missouri, hereby call a special session of the General Assembly to convene at 6:30 p.m. on May 18, 2018, for the sole purpose of considering the findings and recommendations of the House of Representatives Special Investigative Committee on Oversight including, but not limited to, disciplinary actions against Governor Eric R. Greitens.”