Judge sides with former governor’s office in messaging app case
(AP) – A Missouri judge has dismissed claims that former Gov. Eric Greitens’ office used a message-deleting app to avoid the state Sunshine Law.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem on Monday sided with the former governor’s office.
St. Louis attorney Ben Sansone sued Greitens in 2017 over use of the Confide app. Greitens resigned last year in the face of possible impeachment and allegations of sexual and political misconduct, but the lawsuit continued.
The judge ruled that Confide doesn’t create government records that can be retained. Beetem also ruled that as a private citizen, Sansone cannot sue Greitens over alleged Sunshine Law violations.
Beetem set a July 23 hearing over Sansone’s remaining claim that Greitens’ administration failed to turn over certain phone records.
