Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (R), who is facing a criminal invasion of privacy charge and is the subject of an intensifying Republican-led state House investigation, was accused by a woman under oath of sexual coercion and physical violence, according to a report released by a state House committee.
The criminal invasion of privacy charge stems from allegations that Greitens took a photo of the woman without her consent and threatened to release it if she said anything about their affair; Greitens has denied criminal wrongdoing. CNN outlined the allegations in her testimony, which are disturbing:
“You’re not going to mention my name. Don’t even mention my name to anybody at all, because if you do, I’m going to take these pictures, and I’m going to put them everywhere I can. They are going to be everywhere,” he said, according to her testimony, “and then everyone will know what a little whore you are.” The governor previously denied that he had ever blackmailed or threatened the woman.
The woman testified that during their first sexual encounter, Greitens held his penis near her face as she was “uncontrollably crying.” She said she felt coerced into oral sex, and agreed with the statement that she “didn’t feel necessarily able to leave without performing oral sex” and feared for her “physical self.”
In another meeting, the woman said Greitens asked her whether she had been sexually active with anyone else, including her husband. When she replied that she had, Greitens “slapped me across my face, just like hard,” the woman said.
Greitens has referred to the investigation as a “political witch hunt,” although the Missouri state legislature is Republican-controlled, and Republicans are calling on him to resign. He declined to testify. The report, which can be read in full here, found the woman to be “an overall credible witness.”
Greitens, a former Navy Seal who released a 2016 campaign video that was just him shooting a machine gun, has also referred to abortion as “barbaric” and is a “good friend” of Mike Pence.
Greitens goes on trial next month, and has said that he expects to be found innocent. In a statement on Wednesday night, he said: “This was an entirely consensual relationship, and any allegation of violence or sexual assault is false.”