An invasion of privacy charge has been dropped against embattled Republican Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, according to a new report.
While the charge was dismissed, prosecutors are seeking to have a special prosecutor refile it, per the St. Louis Dispatch.
“This is a great victory and it has been a long time coming,” Greitens said in a statement after learning of the news. “This experience has been humbling and I have emerged from it a changed man. I think that in all of our lives we have to deal with pain.”
“Above all I am sorry for the pain that this process and my actions have caused my family, my friends and the people of Missouri,” he added. “I am also tremendously, tremendously grateful for the extraordinary courage and patience of family, and friends, and people of faith who have all recognized that in time comes the truth.”
Accusations made against Greitens have been investigated by the Missouri House Special Investigative Committee on Oversight for several months.
The invasion of privacy charge was related to allegations against him for blackmailing a woman with whom he had an extramarital affair. The committee submitted a report in April detailing that some of their sexual encounters were not consensual and that he hit her several times.
Although Greitens has admitted to the affair, he denies he blackmailed the woman.
Additionally, Greitens has been accused by his former campaign manager of knowingly deceiving the state ethics commission on how he obtained a veterans charity’s donor list. The campaign manager also claims he was tricked into taking the blame for the move.
The Missouri General Assembly is planning to hold a special session on Friday to determine if Greitens should be impeached due to the multiple allegations of misconduct.
Should Greitens be impeached, Lt. Gov. Mike Parson would replace him as governor and fulfill the remainder of Greitens’ term until the beginning of 2021.
Greitens, a former Navy SEAL who previously had been a Democrat, was elected governor as a Republican in 2016.
