Lawmakers react to resignation of Gov. Eric Greitens

UPDATE: Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, who will succeed Governor Greitens on Friday, has spoken out. He said the governor “has put the best interests of our state and all Missourians at the forefront where they belong.” He said he is ready to take on the job with “honor and integrity.”

Here is the full statement:

“With Governor Greitens’ decision to resign from office, he has put the best interests of our state and all Missourians at the forefront where they belong. This is a decision that will allow our state to heal and move forward from what has been a difficult time. This is an enormous responsibility serving as our state’s next governor, and I am ready to fulfill the duties of the office with honor and integrity, and with a steadfast commitment to making our great state even greater for the people we are entrusted to serve.”

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are reacting to the news that Gov. Eric Greitens has resigned, effective Friday at 5 p.m.

House leadership, including Speaker Todd Richardson and Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr, has released a statement:

“House Speaker Todd Richardson, Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr, and Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo issued the following joint statement regarding the decision of Gov. Greitens to resign from my office:

“We believe the Governor has put the best interest of Missourians first today by choosing to resign. The past few months have been difficult for everyone involved, including the Governor and his family. This is a serious and solemn occasion that reminds us that our state and our duty are bigger than any one person or party.

The House stands ready to help ensure a smooth transition of power to Governor Parson. The hallmark of democracy is that our public service is temporary. Missouri has been blessed with an unbroken line of men and women in public service who have worked to make our state better, and the work of the many dedicated public servants, who work tirelessly for the people of Missouri, will continue.

The responsibility the House undertook with its investigation is not a path any of us would have chosen, but it is one we were obligated to pursue in an effort to do what is best for our state. We want to thank the members of the Special Investigative Committee on Oversight for the serious and professional manner in which they went about their task. We also want to thank the staff for the countless hours and sacrifices they made.

As public servants, our solemn duty is to put the best interests of the people of this great state first in every decision we make. The Governor’s decision today honors that duty and allows Missouri to move forward toward a better tomorrow.”

House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, said this is “a case study for why Missouri’s highest elected office is no place for beginners.” She said Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, who will now be sworn in as governor this Friday, possesses the integrity “his predecessor lacked.”

Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard (R) said he had “high hopes” for the governor in the following statement.

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“The last five months have been trying times for our state. Relationships were strained, and bonds were tested. When the governor took office in January of 2017, I had very high hopes. I believed we were on the path to building a better Missouri. This is not the position I imagined we would be in nearly 16 months later. However, I do believe the governor made the right decision.

The governor’s office is bigger than one person. Missouri is strong. Just this session, the Legislature set the framework for greater economic growth. I have full confidence that Lt. Governor Mike Parson and other leaders across the state will continue building a better Missouri, while leading with conservative values. I can assure you, no matter what happens next, Missouri is in good hands.”

Majority Floor Leader Mike Kehoe (R) said the governor’s resignation marks the end of “a drama.”

“The governor’s announcement marks the conclusion to a drama that has drawn on for far too long. It is regrettable the state of Missouri is in this position, but far more regrettable would have been for this spectacle to continue to drag on.

For all practical purposes, Missouri has been without a governor for the last five months, with the President Pro Tem and the Speaker of the House leading the state in the governor’s absence. Our founding fathers designed a system of government to ensure Missouri is more than one individual, and this will be proven true again in the coming weeks and months.”

Senate Democratic Leader Gina Walsh (D) said in a statement that “innocent people don’t resign.”

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Senator Caleb Rowden (R) took to Twitter to say the state of Missouri “recommits to the business of governing.”

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Attorney General Josh Hawley (R), who has called for Greitens to resign and to be impeached, released a statement saying “Greitens has done the right thing today. I wish incoming Governor Mike Parson well, and stand ready to assist him in his transition. This Office’s work for the people of Missouri goes forward.”

U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R) joins the chorus of lawmakers who say they will be ready to help Parson in his transition.

“The governor made the best decision for his family and the state,” he said.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill released a short statement to ABC 17 News:

“I wish Lt. Gov. Parson the best,” she said. “I look forward to working with him.”

State Auditor Nicole Galloway took to Twitter to say that “corruption in state government became worse than ever under Eric Greitens.”

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State Treasurer Eric Schmitt, who has remained silent on his views regarding the governor, tweeted his comments. He said he will focus on ensuring a “smooth transition of power.”

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Local Rep. Sara Walsh (R) said in a statement that today “is a very somber day” but “we must and will move forward, for the principles and purpose for which we serve the people of Missouri is a bright torch that cannot be extinguished.” She called on Missourians to pray and get behind Parson.

Representative Chuck Basye, a Republican from Rocheport, has long stayed out of the fray and hasn’t made any comments. He told ABC 17 News Tuesday afternoon that he has wanted the governor to get his day in court.

“I’m not saying the governor is innocent or guilty. I just thought he deserved his due process to be upheld and I would want that for anybody, not just because it was Governor Greitens,” he said in a phone interview. “I think when somebody is adamantly saying they’re innocent, I think they deserve their day in court.”

Basye said his heart goes out to Greitens and his family. He said he wishes them the best and that it was probably the right move for the governor to resign because he had looked at the big picture and knew this was best.

He said Parson is a great man and looks forward to working with him.

Missouri GOP Chairman Todd Graves praised Parson in a statement and said he is “certain he will continue to hold a strong commitment to our state as governor.” He acknowledged that the party has had a tough couple of months but vowed that there will be a united effort to “champion common sense conservative values across the board,” and mentioned there is a lot at stake in the November elections.

“A united Republican Party will now focus on our number one goal: retiring Claire McCaskill from the United States Senate,” he said.

He did not mention Greitens’s name.

Rep. Kevin Corlew (R) said they are turning back “to the sober task of governing.”

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Rob Schaaf (R), Missouri Senator for the 34th District, referenced “secret money” in his tweet following the governor’s resignation.

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