Ex-wife disputes former governor Greitens’ political conspiracy claims, pledges evidence of abuse
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The ex-wife of former Missouri governor Eric Greitens denies in a court filing that her claims of abuse are part of a political conspiracy and said she could provide photographic evidence to support them.
Sheena Chestnut Greitens accused Eric Greitens last month of abusing her and the couple's son in an affidavit filed in a child custody case. Sheena Chestnut Greitens is seeking to have the case moved to Texas.
Chestnut Greitens says in the affidavit that the former governor knocked her down and took her cellphone, wallet and keys from her during a 2018 argument at their home. The affidavit also claims Eric Greitens abused the couple’s 3-year-old son by “cuffing him across the face” and yanking him by the hair.
She also claimed the former governor displayed "unstable and coercive" behavior leading up to his 2018 resignation amid a sex scandal. She claimed in the document that she had to limit her ex-husband's access to guns at one point.
Eric Greitens responded in a court filing last week, calling his ex-wife's claims "salacious" and "a disgraceful thing" to do to their two children.
His attorney, Gary Stamper, also asked for a subpoena for phone records of Sheena Greitens' attorney, Helen Wade. The request asks for call and text records from Feb. 1 to March 30 between Wade and several different phone numbers with Washington D.C., St. Louis or Washington state area codes.
ABC 17 News confirmed one of those numbers includes Karl Rove, a Washington D.C.-based consultant that worked for former president George W. Bush. Rove declined to comment on his possible connection to the situation on Monday.
Chestnut Greitens filed a response saying her allegations were fact and that "I will provide contemporaneous documentation of the relevant communications, as well as photographic evidence of my child's 2019 injuries."
She also claims that she sought private resolution of the couple's disputes several times, contrary to her ex-husband's claims.
Chestnut Greitens also pushed back at the idea that her abuse allegations were part of a political conspiracy involving U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rove. Eric Greitens, who is running as a Republican for the U.S. Senate, has claimed his ex-wife's allegations are false and part of a political plot.
"I drafted the previously filed affidavit," Chestnut Greitens says in a Thursday court filing. "Neither Karl Rove, nor Mitch McConnell, nor any other so-called political operatives drafted it for me. The only person I have been 'victimized' by is Eric."
Stamper addressed the claims in his filing on behalf of Eric Greitens.
"None of these claims were reported to medical professionals, the mediator, the Court, any law enforcement official, teacher, or school official (all mandatory reporters) over the course of several years," Stamper wrote.
Chestnut Greitens says in her filing that the allegations were reported to lawyers, therapists and a mediator.
The case is being litigated in Boone County. Chestnut Greitens is a former University of Missouri professor but has since moved to Texas with her children.
Judge Leslie Schneider is set to hear arguments May 10 in Boone County.
ABC 17 News Anchor Lucas Geisler contributed to this report.
