On the latest edition of Politically Speaking, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jo Mannies go over this week’s big developments in Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens’ political and legal saga.
This week’s episode zeroes in on how the woman at the heart of the scandal, identified only as K.S., spoke semi-publicly for the first time. A T.V. interivew with the woman on Monday came as lawmakers read depositions where she was asked provocative and personal questions about her interactions with Greitens.
In an interview with Five on Your Side’s Casey Nolen, the woman stuck by what she’s said under oath and to Missouri lawmakers: Greitens took a semi-nude photo of her without her consent — and subjected her to sexual and physical abuse. The woman's face was not shown in the interview, nor did it use her name.
The woman said she felt her ex-husband took advantage of her when he released secretly recorded tapes of conversation they had to KMOV. That part of the Greitens story took center stage in Jefferson City, when newspaper publisher Scott Faughn faced sharp questions about why he delivered $120,000 to the ex-husband’s attorney.
As this all occurred, Greitens’ legal team was increasingly frustrated by not being allowed to cross-examine witnesses. Greitens has denied breaking any laws and strongly denied that he abused K.S. Committee members have become increasingly frustrated that the governor hadn't appeared before them. But on Friday, the committee, under direction of chairman, Rep. Jay Barnes, R-Jefferson City, issued a subpoena, ordering Greitens to appear on June 4.
Here’s what else was discussed on the show:
- How Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker was appointed as a special prosecutor to look into Greitens’ behavior with the woman.
- Reaction from U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill to how Greitens’ attorneys questioned the woman.
- How some of Greitens’ legal team are attacking the chairman of the committee looking into the governor’s conduct — and how that’s stoked backlash.
- What it means that Faughn and Watkins’ testimony convey completely different stories about why $120,000 was exchanged.
Mannies and Rosenbaum were on St. Louis on the Air on Friday:
Follow Jason on Twitter: @jrosenbaum
Follow Jo on Twitter: @jmannies
Music: “YAH.” by Kendrick Lamar
