Judge denies Governor Greitens’ request for temporary restraining order
Judge Jon Beetem has permanently denied Governor Eric Greitens’ request for a temporary restraining order against Attorney General Hawley.
The judgment comes after both sides argued in court Thursday morning.
Beetem said he didn’t have the authority to bar Hawley from investigating the governor because Hawley wasn’t actively prosecuting a case against him.
Both the governor’s felony charges are out of St. Louis.
He also said that the governor’s attorney, Jim Bennett, didn’t have evidence that Hawley had a personal interest that would disqualify him.
Governor Greitens requested to remove AG Hawley from a case where the office is investigating the governor’s use of a donor list from his charity, The Mission Continues.
Bennett argued Thursday that Hawley was prejudiced against the governor. He cited Hawley’s statement following the release of the special committee’s report which alleged sexual misconduct by the governor during an affair with his former hairdresser. Hawley said the governor had committed “impeachable offenses.”
Rep. Jay Barnes, the chair of the special committee investigating the governor, was present at Thursday’s hearing. He sat in the back row and took notes.
John Sauer, on behalf of Hawley, said that was not connected with Hawley’s investigation into The Mission Continues. He said the attorney general was courageous in his call for the governor’s impeachment.
Bennett also indicated Hawley’s Senate run was encouraging him to make public statements against the governor. Hawley is hoping to run on the Republican ticket to challenge incumbent Claire McCaskill, who is a Democrat.
Sauer said that Hawley’s announcement last week that he had discovered wrongdoing involving The Mission Continues was not prejudiced or pre-determining the governor’s guilt. He said a prosecutor finding probable cause that someone committed a crime is common practice and a case couldn’t go forward without probable cause anyway.
The fight between two of the state’s highest elected officials continues to escalate with this latest ruling.
You can find ABC 17’s coverage of Thursday’s hearing here.
