Truth Alert: Fact-checking new Greitens ad

You may have noticed more political advertisements on television of late.

Although the general election is more than five months away, the commercials are designed to shape early opinion.

Gov. Eric Greitens is now running a television ad on KMIZ and other stations, and he’s not even on the ballot this year.

Gov. Greitens was not actually scheduled to be on a ballot until 2020, but with a special session underway that could cost him his job, he is definitely in damage control.

We’re truth-checking the latest commercial paid for by Greitens for Missouri.

The commercial starts: “The case against Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has been dismissed. And additional allegations outright rejected.”

It’s true that the felony invasion of privacy case was dropped, but as we’ve reported to you it is now up to a prosecutor in Jackson County to review the evidence and decide whether or not to re-file the charge.

As far as “other allegations rejected,” that’s a tricky word. Just because an allegation is rejected doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t true. And in this case, the allegations have been innumerable.

The ad continues: “Court documents prove the ‘fake news’ paid thousands for allegations against Greitens.”

Although many may take exception to the term “fake news,” a newspaper owner has admitted giving more than $100,000 to the governor’s former mistress’ ex-husband’s lawyer.

That newspaper owner, Scott Faughn, is a self-described Republican and his publication has been kicked out of the Missouri Capitol News Association for his involvement in the case.

The commercial also states: “A liberal St. Louis prosecutor funded by George Soros pressed charges and Democratic leadership orchestrated the false attacks.”

The prosecutor in the former invasion of privacy case did accept money from a PAC funded by billionaire political activist George Soros. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said the money was important in getting her message out to voters in 2016. She has been criticized for the way the case was handled.

As for the claim that “Democratic leadership orchestrated the false attacks,” the attacks against Greitens have been mostly bipartisan.

The commercial concludes: “Don’t let the liberals get away with it. Stand with Navy SEAL Eric Greitens and conservative legislators in fighting for the low tax, pro-life, job growth agenda Missouri needs.”

The end of the commercial seems to strike the topics on which Greitens campaigned for governor.

Many Navy SEALs, however, take exception to Greitens’ touting the fact that he was part of the elite unit. In fact, part of the SEAL’s creed is: “I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor recognition for my actions/”