Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens on Thursday told campaign contributors during a conference call that he was committed to continuing in office, while denying some of the more salacious accusations leveled by his former mistress.
Greitens was joined on the conference call by his wife, Sheena. Neither took questions, but rather offered a similar version of the prepared statements they had previously released after news of the governor's extramarital affair was reported by KMOV, the CBS affiliate in St. Louis. Greitens' mistress has alleged that he blackmailed her and engaged in particular sexually-related acts, which she described in detail to KMOV.
According to a source who listened in on the conference call, the governor denied charges of "blackmail," that he took any photographs, or that any "violence" was involved. “This happened before I was governor ... It has nothing to do with my mission as governor," Greitens said, according this source.
Greitens and his wife characterized the governor's adultery as an incident in their past that they have dealt with and which strengthened their relationship, adding that she had forgiven him. Greitens was seen as a rising Republican star and a possible candidate for higher office down the road.
The telegenic former Navy SEAL was making waves in Missouri with a leadership style that was shaking up state government. That aggressive style also put him at odds with the Republican-controlled legislature, putting him in a situation where he might have few allies willing to stick by him.
