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Dave Helling

Eric Greitens was pulled over for speeding, but ‘there was no need for a ticket’

By Dave Helling
With moving trucks parked outside his official residence, Gov. Eric Greitens, who announced his resignation Tuesday, on Friday signed more than half of the bills approved by lawmakers during the 2018 legislative session.
With moving trucks parked outside his official residence, Gov. Eric Greitens, who announced his resignation Tuesday, on Friday signed more than half of the bills approved by lawmakers during the 2018 legislative session. Julie Smith AP file

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens can’t keep his foot off the accelerator.

According to our friends at The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the embattled governor was pulled over last Friday evening for speeding in Truesdale, Mo.

Greitens needed to pick up some medicine, a spokesman said, and hit 41 miles an hour in a 30 mph zone.

That would be a problem for most of us. But not for Greitens — governors and Navy SEALs, it appears, don’t have to abide by the speed limit.

Police did not issue a ticket.

“There was no need for a ticket,” spokesman Parker Briden told the paper. “The governor is a regular person. He runs regular errands.”

Regular guy-ness isn’t the issue, of course. Regular guys and gals pay fines for speeding. The governor should, too.

But statewide chuckles over the governor’s narrow escape are probably the least of his concerns.

The House committee studying impeachment is still at work. A skilled special prosecutor is on the case. Reporters are working hard, too.

Soon enough, Missouri will decide if it should take all of the governor’s keys away. That’s a ticket he won’t be able to duck.

This story was originally published May 23, 2018 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Eric Greitens was pulled over for speeding, but ‘there was no need for a ticket’."

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