Missouri governor charged with felony computer data tampering
Greitens calls the latest case against him as part of a 'smear' campaign by Gardner
PHOTO: REUTERS
Missouri Governor Eric Greitens, already facing an invasion-of-privacy trial next month stemming from an extramarital affair, was charged separately on Friday with felony computer data tampering tied to his political fund-raising, prosecutors said.
The new case, referred to prosecutors by Missouri’s attorney general, was filed by St Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, according to her office, which also brought the unrelated privacy charge against Greitens in February.
The prosecutor’s office issued a summons for the governor to appear in court, rather than an arrest warrant, allowing Greitens to turn himself in for booking, a spokesperson for Gardner said. She said the city attorney’s office would coordinate with Greitens’ defence team for his surrender.
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Greitens, a Republican who has come under mounting pressure to resign from Missouri politicians of both parties, called the latest case against him part of a “smear” campaign by Gardner, a Democrat. He vowed to clear his name in court, declaring, “People will know the truth.”
The criminal complaint, a copy of which was furnished by prosecutors, said the alleged offence occurred in April 2015, while Greitens was running for governor.
Missouri Attorney General, Josh Hawley, told reporters on Tuesday his office had uncovered evidence of electronic theft by Greitens during a broader investigation of the combat veterans charity founded by the former US Navy SEALs commando in 2007.
The criminal complaint and accompanying “probable cause” statement accuses Greitens of felony computer tampering to obtain and transmit the donor list of the charity, The Mission Continues, without its permission for his own political gain.
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According to court documents in the case, Greitens directed another individual to obtain the donor list and furnish it to a fundraiser who was working on behalf of Greitens’ gubernatorial campaign.
Greitens went on to raise millions of dollars for his campaign with the list, according to a source close to the investigation. He was elected in 2017.
The individual alleged to have disclosed the donor list to a fundraiser at Greitens’ behest is a woman referred to in court documents as “KT,” who had worked for his charity and later joined Greitens’ campaign, the source said.
Prosecutors did not say whether anyone else faced charges in the investigation.
“The latest charge is about my work at the Mission Continues,” Greitens said on Friday. “In the seven years I ran that organization, we helped thousands of veterans, won national awards of excellence and became one of the finest veterans’ charities in the country. ... I stand by that work.”
The governor’s attorney, Jim Martin, previously described the electronic theft accusations as “false allegations.”
A growing number of elected officials in Missouri, Democrats and Republicans alike, have called for Greitens’ ouster since he was charged in an unrelated investigation with criminal invasion of privacy. He was accused in that case of taking a compromising photo of a woman with whom he was involved without her consent and threatening to use it as blackmail.
Both the invasion of privacy and computer tampering charges are felonies, each punishable by up to four years in prison.
Greitens, 44, a married father of two has acknowledged having a months-long affair but has denied any criminal wrongdoing, asserting that he is the victim of a political witch hunt. He has said he intends to remain in office while he fights to prove his innocence in court.
The new case, referred to prosecutors by Missouri’s attorney general, was filed by St Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, according to her office, which also brought the unrelated privacy charge against Greitens in February.
The prosecutor’s office issued a summons for the governor to appear in court, rather than an arrest warrant, allowing Greitens to turn himself in for booking, a spokesperson for Gardner said. She said the city attorney’s office would coordinate with Greitens’ defence team for his surrender.
Possible dismissal: 10 G-B officials accused of tampering with NADRA data
Greitens, a Republican who has come under mounting pressure to resign from Missouri politicians of both parties, called the latest case against him part of a “smear” campaign by Gardner, a Democrat. He vowed to clear his name in court, declaring, “People will know the truth.”
The criminal complaint, a copy of which was furnished by prosecutors, said the alleged offence occurred in April 2015, while Greitens was running for governor.
Missouri Attorney General, Josh Hawley, told reporters on Tuesday his office had uncovered evidence of electronic theft by Greitens during a broader investigation of the combat veterans charity founded by the former US Navy SEALs commando in 2007.
The criminal complaint and accompanying “probable cause” statement accuses Greitens of felony computer tampering to obtain and transmit the donor list of the charity, The Mission Continues, without its permission for his own political gain.
Nationwide issue: Speakers demand accuracy in upcoming national census
According to court documents in the case, Greitens directed another individual to obtain the donor list and furnish it to a fundraiser who was working on behalf of Greitens’ gubernatorial campaign.
Greitens went on to raise millions of dollars for his campaign with the list, according to a source close to the investigation. He was elected in 2017.
The individual alleged to have disclosed the donor list to a fundraiser at Greitens’ behest is a woman referred to in court documents as “KT,” who had worked for his charity and later joined Greitens’ campaign, the source said.
Prosecutors did not say whether anyone else faced charges in the investigation.
“The latest charge is about my work at the Mission Continues,” Greitens said on Friday. “In the seven years I ran that organization, we helped thousands of veterans, won national awards of excellence and became one of the finest veterans’ charities in the country. ... I stand by that work.”
The governor’s attorney, Jim Martin, previously described the electronic theft accusations as “false allegations.”
A growing number of elected officials in Missouri, Democrats and Republicans alike, have called for Greitens’ ouster since he was charged in an unrelated investigation with criminal invasion of privacy. He was accused in that case of taking a compromising photo of a woman with whom he was involved without her consent and threatening to use it as blackmail.
Both the invasion of privacy and computer tampering charges are felonies, each punishable by up to four years in prison.
Greitens, 44, a married father of two has acknowledged having a months-long affair but has denied any criminal wrongdoing, asserting that he is the victim of a political witch hunt. He has said he intends to remain in office while he fights to prove his innocence in court.