Democrats demand that legislature impeach Gov. Greitens immediately
Missouri Democrats threatened Thursday to upend the remaining month of the 2018 legislative session if Republican leaders don't immediately begin the process of impeaching Gov. Eric Greitens.
On the heels of a bombshell report detailing allegations of sexual coercion and blackmail against Greitens, House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, announced that he and other GOP legislative leaders would push for a special session to be convened after the adjournment of the 2018 session on May 18 to consider possible disciplinary action against the governor — including impeachment.
The delay, Richardson said, will give the House investigative committee time to continue its work and allow "the General Assembly to remain focused on the task Missourians count on us to complete."
Democrats were livid at the delay, saying the graphic report released Wednesday was grounds for immediate impeachment.
"What we are showing the world today?" asked Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis. "We’re showing the world you can be a governor and you can slap a woman around. You can be a governor and have little or no integrity. You can be governor and have no morals. We are showing the world that you can victimize a lady, a woman, and still serve in the top position here in the state of Missouri."
She continued: "There’s no way we should be sending a bill to a governor who is not fit to serve, let alone sign a bill."
Greitens has faced calls for his resignation by many high-profile Republican leaders, including Attorney General Josh Hawley and U.S. Reps. Anne Wagner and Vicky Hartzler.
On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, called on Greitens to resign.
"The governor has lost the moral authority and the ability to lead the state going forward," Kehoe said in a statement.
When asked during Senate debate Thursday whether the allegations in the report are enough to warrant impeachment, Kehoe said, "I still think you have to have two sides of the story before you say yes to that. Maybe you still say yes after you have that second side."
Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard, R-Joplin, says he supports the House speaker's decision to wait on the investigative committee to finish its work before contemplating impeachment.
Ultimately, the decision on whether to move forward with impeachment must be decided by the House. And Richard trusts Richardson will make the right call.
"Have you guys seen the speaker? I mean, this guy has lost 20 pounds, he's probably smoked 20 packs of cigarettes," Richard said. "He's taking this job very serious."
Sen. Scott Sifton, D-St. Louis, threatened to filibuster every House bill besides the state's budget until impeachment proceedings begin.
"Why should we move any House priorities if they aren’t moving forward with impeachment of this governor?" Sifton asked.
Nasheed echoed that sentiment, saying that if House members want to get their bills approved, "they need to start the impeachment process immediately. I don’t think we should allow one bill to get to [the governor's] desk. ... Do the right thing, or we’re just going to be here talking."
Sen. Kiki Curls, D-Kansas City, said she had made a point of reserving public comment about the allegations against the governor until the House committee released its report. Now she is calling for impeachment.
"But at this point, the distraction this has caused to our Capitol and our state in general, there’s no way we can continue to do the business of our state under this cloud," she said.
Sen. Minority Leader Gina Walsh, D-St. Louis County, said Senate Democrats will meet Tuesday to discuss whether to use the filibuster to block all legislation until impeachment proceedings begin.
"I have no faith that any legislation signed by Eric Greitens should be law, so my caucus will meet on Tuesday when we return, and we will decide what we will do," she said, later adding: "I mean, for crying out loud — he coerced the young woman. He slapped her. Do you want him leading your state? I don't want him leading my state."
Impeachment begins in the House. The committee that investigated the governor can draft articles of impeachment, and they would proceed through the House in the same manner as any other bill.
A public hearing would be held, and eventually it would be debated and voted on by the full House. A constitutional majority of 82 out of 163 House members is all that is needed to impeach.
The House has 114 Republicans and 47 Democrats.
If the House votes to impeach, the matter would move to the Senate, which would select a special commission of seven judges to try the case.
At the completion of the trial, if five of those judges concur that the governor is guilty, he would be removed from office. The lieutenant governor, Republican Mike Parson, would become governor for the remainder of the term, which runs until January 2021.
To call a special session, at least three-fourths of House members — 123 of 163 — and senators — 26 of 34 — would have to vote in favor.
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This story was originally published April 12, 2018 at 1:13 PM with the headline "Democrats demand that legislature impeach Gov. Greitens immediately."