Eric Greitens Image by Getty

By Aiden Pink February 22, 2018

This is a developing story.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens was indicted Thursday afternoon on charges of felony invasion of privacy.

Greitens was being investigated after a woman with whom he had an affair in 2015 accused him of blackmailing her by taking photos of her while she was naked and bound with tape.

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The husband of the woman, who has not been named by the media, released an audio recording last month of her admitting to the affair and accusing Greitens of the blackmail to prevent her from sharing her story. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner launched an investigation shortly thereafter.

“As I have stated before, it is essential for residents of the City of St. Louis and our state to have confidence in their leaders,” Gardner said in a statement. “They must know that the Office of the Circuit Attorney will hold public officials accountable in the same manner as any other resident of our city. Both parties and the people of St. Louis deserve a thorough investigation of these allegations.”

Greitens, a Republican who was elected in November 2016 in part by running on a family-values platform, admitted to the affair but denied the blackmail allegations. A number of Republican and Democratic lawmakers had called on him to resign, but Greitens said last month that he would not do so.

Greitens, the nation’s only Jewish governor, was seen as a rising star in Republican circles before the blackmail accusations. He is a former Navy SEAL and recipient of the Bronze Star.

Read more: https://forward.com/fast-forward/392601/missouri-gov-eric-greitens-says-he-wont-resign-amid-blackmail-allegations/

Contact Aiden Pink at [email protected] or on Twitter, @aidenpink

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