Image copyright St Louis Police Image caption Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has been charged with felony invasion of privacy

Facing impeachment over an extramarital affair and campaign finance inquiry, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has announced he will quit on Friday.

The first-term governor was considered a rising Republican star until allegations emerged he had photographed a naked woman without her consent.

The ex-Navy Seal called the allegations a "political witch hunt".

The Rhodes scholar and father-of-two presented himself as a family man during his 2016 campaign.

The Missouri General Assembly, which is controlled by the governor's own party, has been considering whether he should be impeached.

What did Greitens say?

"The last few months have been incredibly difficult, for me, for my family, for my team, for my friends and for many, many people that I love," the 44-year-old said at Tuesday's news conference.

He added: "This ordeal has been designed to cause an incredible amount of strain on my family."

Mr Greitens said he had not broken any laws.

He concluded: "For the moment let us walk off the battlefield with our heads held high.

"We have a good and proud story to tell our children."

Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson, also a Republican, is taking over as the state's top politician.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Governor Greitens and his wife Sheena

What's the fundraising controversy?

Earlier on Tuesday, a court ruling added to Mr Greitens' problems.

A judge gave the governor's political non-profit group, A New Missouri, until Friday to turn over communications between it and Mr Greitens' office.

Investigators are looking into whether his campaign illegally co-ordinated with A New Missouri to conceal donors by using shell companies to funnel money.

According to the Kansas City Star, Mr Greitens received $6m (£4.5m) in "dark money" for his 2016 campaign.

Also on Tuesday, an ex-Greitens adviser told a state House investigative panel that the governor's election campaign had considered illegally soliciting donations from foreign nationals, reports the St Louis Post-Dispatch.

But on Wednesday, prosecutors dropped a felony charge of computer data tampering over a donor list he allegedly obtained from a veterans' charity for his own political gain.

What was the sex scandal?

Earlier this year, it emerged that Mr Greitens had had an extramarital affair with his hairdresser.

A man secretly recorded his wife admitting in March 2015 to the liaisons with Mr Greitens.

The hair stylist alleged that Mr Greitens had taken a photo of her when she was partially nude without her permission and threatened to release the image if she ever told anyone about the affair.

Mr Greitens said he had worked through the adultery with his wife, but denied blackmailing the other woman.

The governor was indicted in February with invasion of privacy, but the charge was dropped this month, with the proviso that it could be re-filed.</s>Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, 62, was not in the Capitol when Greitens announced his plan to leave office on Friday effective 5 p.m.</s>Well, it’s a wrap for FORMER Missouri Governor Eric Greitens. He just announced his resignation:

The announcement was made just hours after a judge says a secretive group supporting Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens must turn over documents subpoenaed by a legislative committee trying to determine whether to bring impeachment proceedings against the Republican governor.

The 44-year-old Greitens made the announcement nearly 17 months after taking the oath as Missouri’s chief executive with a pledge to root out “corrupt career politicians.” The investigations of him widened to include questions about whether he had violated the law in financing the campaign.

Greitens said his resignation would take effect Friday.
• Missouri Governor Says He Will Stay In Office Despite Scandal [VIDEO]

A St. Louis grand jury indicted Greitens on Feb. 22 on one felony count of invasion of privacy for allegedly taking a photo of a woman with whom he had an affair at his home he shares with his wife and two young sons without her consent in 2015, before he was elected governor. The charge was dismissed during jury selection, but a special prosecutor was considering whether to refile charges. In April, the St. Louis prosecutor’s office charged Greitens with another felony, alleging that he improperly used the donor list for a charity that he’d founded, The Mission Continues to raise money for his 2016 campaign.

Greitens claims to be the victim of a “political witch hunt.”

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley also launched an inquiry into a veterans charity Greitens founded. Federal law bars 501 charities such as The Mission Continues from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates.

The Associated Press first reported in October 2016 that Greitens’ campaign had obtained a list of individuals, corporations and other nonprofits that had given at least $1,000 to The Mission Continues. The AP reported that Greitens raised about $2 million from those who had previously given significant amounts to the charity.

Hawley, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, turned evidence over to Gardner, saying April 17 that he believed Greitens had broken the law. Her office charged him with tampering with computer data for allegedly disclosing the donor list without the charity’s permission.

A May 2 report from a special House investigatory committee indicated that Greitens himself received the donor list and later directed aides to work off it to raise money for his gubernatorial campaign. A former campaign aide testified that he was duped into taking the fall when the campaign tried to explain how it had gotten the list.

His departure elevates fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Parson to the governor’s office:

Now that Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has announced his resignation, he will be succeeded by Lt. Gov. Mike Parson.

Parson, a Republican, was elected Lt. Governor in 2016. He previously held several elected offices, including state senator from the 28th district from 2011-2017.

Parson was previously a state representative and the Polk County Sheriff. He is a farmer who lives in Bolivar in southwest Missouri.

The last Missouri Lt. Gov. to succeed a governor without being elected to the higher office was Roger Wilson, who served the last few months of Mel Carnahan’s term in 2000 after Carnahan was killed in plane crash.

Moments after Greitens’ announcement, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, though a spokesperson said they have a reached a “fair and just resolution of the pending charges.” This pertains to the Computer Tampering allegation.

Miss Gardens also stated, “I have been in contact with the Governor’s defense team over the past several days. We have reached a fair and just resolution of the pending charges. We will provide more information tomorrow.”

The statement went on to say more will be announced Wednesday. Greitens is not out of trouble just because he stepped down. I will update this story as it develops.

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens Resigns Amid Campaign And Sex Scandals!(Video)(Pics) was originally published on 955TheLou.com</s>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri Governor Eric Greitens announced his resignation Tuesday afternoon amid a pair of scandals involving separate allegations of invasion of privacy and campaign finance violations. The resignation will be effective Friday, June 1.

The governor held a news conference from his office at the Missouri Capitol at 4:25 p.m. Greitens said personal and political attacks on friends, family, and colleagues affected his decision to step down.

"I will let the fairness of this process be judged by history," Greitens said.

"We must as we have always done, work to improve the lives of those around us. This is not the end of our fight. The time has come to tend to those who are wounded. For the moment, let us walk off the battlefield with our heads held high."

The governor did not take any questions from the assembled media.

A special Missouri House committee had spent the last two weeks investigating Greitens’ fundraising methods and whether he used a donor list from The Mission Continues charity to raise cash for his gubernatorial campaign. The committee had been weighing the possibility of impeaching the governor.

The news conference came the same day a Cole County circuit judge ordered a secret group supporting the governor, A New Missouri, turn over all correspondence between Greitens, his campaign, and the organization. The judge’s order also covers all documentation on communications and expenditures by A New Missouri.

Greitens' resignation should not affect any criminal matters involving the governor. However, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who initially filed the invasion of privacy charges against Greitens in February, said she's reached a "fair and just resolution" on the case, but declined to offer specifics. Gardner said she'd provide more information on the matter Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Gardner's office dropped its invasion of privacy case against Greitens so a different prosecutor could try the case.

Greitens, 44, was charged with felony invasion of privacy for allegedly taking and transmitting a photo of a woman in a compromising position without her permission in March 2015. The governor admitted to engaging in an affair with his former hairdresser prior to running for office.

On the day the case was dismissed, Greitens addressed the media outside the St. Louis Civil Courthouse, denouncing the "false charges" levied against him. The governor described the dismissal as a "great victory."

Greitens will be succeeded by Lt. Gov Mike Parson, who was working on his farm and summoned to the capital Tuesday. Parson stands in contrast to the outgoing chief executive in legislative experience. Whereas Greitens' run for governor was his first foray into politics, Parson has worked in the public eye for decades, serving 12 years as the sheriff of Polk County before being elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2004. Parson served two terms as a State Senator from 2011 to 2017, when he became lieutenant governor.

Greitens is not the first Missouri governor to resign.

Governor Daniel Dunklin stepped down in September 1836, three months before his scheduled leave, after being appointed Surveyor General of Missouri and Illinois by President Andrew Jackson. In February 1857, Governor Trusten Park resigned nearly two months after being sworn in so he could accept a position in the US Senate.

The reaction to Greitens' announcement was swift. The Missouri Republican leadership—House Speaker Todd Richardson, Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr, and Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo—issued the following statement after Greitens’ announcement: “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.”

Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Missouri, 3rd District) said the scandals proved too much of a distraction for Greitens.

Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway said corruption grew more rampant with Greitens in office and lamented the state's soured reputation.

And Missouri Treasurer Eric Schmitt asked for the citizens of Missouri to unite behind the next governor and "work toward a better future."

“Now is the time for the people of Missouri to come together and work toward a better future for our state. My focus is on helping to ensure a smooth transition of power so that state government can continue to serve Missourians without interruption. To that end, my office will be actively working with partners across state agencies and departments to help facilitate the transition process.”</s>Embattled Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is expected to resign Tuesday amid a sexual misconduct scandal and allegations of misuse of a charity donor list, sources told Fox News.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.</s>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, a sometimes brash outsider whose unconventional resume as a Rhodes Scholar and Navy SEAL officer made him a rising star in Republican politics, abruptly announced his resignation Tuesday after a scandal involving an affair with his former hairdresser led to a broader investigation by prosecutors and state legislators.

The 44-year-old governor made the announcement nearly 17 months after taking the oath as Missouri’s chief executive with a pledge to root out “corrupt career politicians.” The investigations of him widened to include questions about whether he had violated the law in financing the campaign.

Greitens said his resignation would take effect Friday.

A St. Louis grand jury indicted Greitens on Feb. 22 on one felony count of invasion of privacy for allegedly taking a photo of the woman without her consent at his home in 2015, before he was elected governor. The charge was dismissed during jury selection, but a special prosecutor was considering whether to refile charges.

In April, the local St. Louis prosecutor’s office charged Greitens with another felony, alleging that he improperly used the donor list for a charity that he’d founded to raise money for his 2016 campaign.

Less than two weeks ago, the Missouri Legislature began meeting in special session to consider whether to pursue impeachment proceedings to try to oust Greitens from office.

A special House investigatory committee had subpoenaed Greitens to testify next Monday.

Greitens’ brashness alienated some GOP legislators even before his affair became public in January.

The woman’s then-husband released a secretly recorded conversation in which she described the alleged incident. The woman later told a Missouri House investigative committee that Greitens restrained, slapped, shoved and threatened her during a series of sexual encounters that at times left her crying and afraid.

Greitens said the allegations amounted to a “political witch hunt,” and vowed to stay in office. But the report’s release created a firestorm, with both Republicans and Democrats calling for his resignation.

His departure elevates fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Parson to the governor’s office.

Greitens’ administration was thrown into chaos the night of Jan. 10, when a St. Louis TV station aired a report about Greitens allegedly taking the compromising photo and threatening to blackmail the woman if she ever spoke of their encounter. The report aired shortly after Greitens delivered his State of the State address to lawmakers.

Greitens admitted to having an affair but denied any criminal wrongdoing. He said the criminal case was politically motivated and called St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, a Democrat, a “reckless liberal prosecutor.”

Lawmakers from both parties immediately began questioning whether Greitens could continue to lead the state in the wake of the scandal. The House authorized the legislative investigation a week after the indictment.

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley also launched an inquiry into a veterans charity Greitens founded. Federal law bars 501(c)(3) charities such as The Mission Continues from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates.

The Associated Press first reported in October 2016 that Greitens’ campaign had obtained a list of individuals, corporations and other nonprofits that had given at least $1,000 to The Mission Continues. The AP reported that Greitens raised about $2 million from those who had previously given significant amounts to the charity.

Hawley, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, turned evidence over to Gardner, saying April 17 that he believed Greitens had broken the law. Her office charged him with tampering with computer data for allegedly disclosing the donor list without the charity’s permission.

A May 2 report from a special House investigatory committee indicated that Greitens himself received the donor list and later directed aides to work off it to raise money for his gubernatorial campaign. A former campaign aide testified that he was duped into taking the fall when the campaign tried to explain how it had gotten the list.

The invasion-of-privacy indictment stated that on March 21, 2015, Greitens photographed the woman and transmitted the photo “in a manner that allowed access to that image via a computer.”

During her testimony to the House investigative committee, the woman said Greitens invited her to his home and offered to show her “how to do a proper pull-up.” The woman said she initially thought “this is going to be some sort of sexy workout.” But once in his basement, Greitens taped her hands to pull-up rings, blindfolded her, and started kissing and disrobing her without her consent, according to her testimony.

Then she saw a flash and heard a click, like a cellphone picture, she said. The woman testified that Greitens told her: “Don’t even mention my name to anybody at all, because if you do, I’m going to take these pictures, and I’m going to put them everywhere I can. They are going to be everywhere, and then everyone will know what a little whore you are.”

Greitens, a married father of two young boys, repeatedly denied blackmailing the woman. He declined to say whether he took a photo.

Greitens, who had also served as a White House fellow and written a best-selling book, entered the 2016 gubernatorial race as a brash outsider. He won an expensive Republican primary, then defeated Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster in the general election to give Republicans control of the governor’s mansion for the first time in eight years. Some considered him a potential future presidential contender.

Republicans also controlled the Missouri House and Senate, but there were frequent clashes between lawmakers and Greitens, who compared them to third-graders and labeled them “career politicians.”

He confronted criticism from some educators and lawmakers for working to pack the State Board of Education with members who would fire the education commissioner. Greitens’ use of a secretive app that deletes messages after they’re read also sparked a review by Hawley.</s>JEFFERSON CITY, MO - Lt. Gov. Mike Parson was on his farm in southwestern Missouri when he learned the news that Gov. Eric Greitens was resigning. Parson arrived in the Missouri Capitol shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday and spent nearly 2 hours in his office before leaving.

His office released a statement just before 7 p.m. Tuesday reading:

“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.”

Parson said he had not yet spoken with Greitens about the governor’s resignation.</s>Embattled Missouri Governor Eric Greitens announced on Tuesday he will resign over the scandals that have dominated his tenure.

The Republican governor has been embroiled in scandal for weeks. Last month, a Missouri state House committee released a report alleging that Greitens subjected a woman to non-consensual sexual activity and violence. Greitens described the report as “tabloid trash gossip” rooted in “lies and falsehoods.”

In late April, Greitens was indicted on a felony charge of computer tampering tied to his campaign’s alleged use of a charity donor list.

Greitens made the announcement that he will step down during a press conference outside his office.

Earlier this month, Missouri state lawmakers announced plans to convene a special legislative session to weigh potential disciplinary actions against the governor.

A request for comment to Greitens’ communications director was not immediately returned.</s>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - In a May 29 story about the resignation of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, The Associated Press erroneously reported the amount of time Greitens spent fighting to stay in office after his affair became public. It was nearly five months, not nearly six months.

A corrected version of the story is below:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, a sometimes brash political outsider whose unconventional resume as a Rhodes scholar and Navy SEAL officer made him a rising star in the Republican Party, resigned Tuesday amid a widening investigation that arose from an affair with his former hairdresser.

The 44-year-old governor spent nearly five months fighting to stay in office after the affair became public in January in a television news report that aired immediately following his State of the State address. The probes into his conduct by prosecutors and lawmakers began with allegations stemming from the affair and expanded to include questions about whether he violated campaign-finance laws.

Greitens said his resignation would take effect Friday.

"This ordeal has been designed to cause an incredible amount of strain on my family - millions of dollars of mounting legal bills, endless personal attacks designed to cause maximum damage to family and friends," he said in a brief statement from his Jefferson City office, his voice breaking at times.

He said he could not "allow those forces to continue to cause pain and difficulty to the people that I love."

Lawmakers pressuring Greitens to step down included many Republicans, who feared that his troubles could jeopardize the GOP's chances of defeating incumbent Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill in a race considered essential to the party's hopes of keeping control of the Senate.

The local St. Louis prosecutor's office said it had reached a "fair and just resolution" on criminal charges against Greitens now that he's leaving office. But the prosecutor said details would not be made public until Wednesday.

A St. Louis grand jury indicted Greitens on Feb. 22 on one felony count of invasion of privacy for allegedly taking and transmitting a photo of the woman without her consent at his home in 2015, before he was elected governor. The charge was dismissed during jury selection, but a special prosecutor from Kansas City is considering whether to refile charges and said Tuesday that her investigation is ongoing.

In April, the St. Louis prosecutor, Kim Gardner, charged Greitens with another felony, alleging that he improperly used the donor list for a charity that he had founded to raise money for his 2016 campaign.

Then less than two weeks ago, the Missouri Legislature began meeting in special session to consider whether to pursue impeachment proceedings to try to oust Greitens from office. A special House investigative committee had subpoenaed Greitens to testify next Monday.

Two people with close ties to Republican officials in Washington and Missouri told The Associated Press there was no coordinated effort to push Greitens out.

The governor's brashness had alienated some GOP legislators even before his affair became public. Senate Leadership Fund President Steven Law said the resignation could help unify Missouri Republicans and free up money.

In January, the woman's ex-husband released a secretly recorded conversation from 2015 in which she described the affair, which happened shortly after Greitens created an exploratory committee to run for office. The woman later told the House committee that Greitens restrained, slapped, shoved and threatened her during a series of sexual encounters that at times left her crying and afraid.

Greitens said the allegations amounted to a "political witch hunt" and vowed to stay in office. But a report from the House committee created a firestorm, with both Republicans and Democrats calling for his resignation.

"I am not perfect. But I have not broken any laws or committed any offense worthy of this treatment," he said. "I will let the fairness of this process be judged by history."

His departure will elevate fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Parson - a former state lawmaker and sheriff - to the governor's office.

Parson, who will serve the remainder of Greitens' term through January 2020, pledged to carry out his new duties "with honor and integrity." He said Greitens' resignation "will allow our state to heal and move forward from what has been a difficult time."

The Greitens administration was thrown into chaos the night of Jan. 10, when a St. Louis TV station aired a report about Greitens allegedly taking the compromising photo and threatening to blackmail the woman if she ever spoke of their encounter.

The governor admitted to having an affair but denied any criminal wrongdoing. He said the criminal case was politically motivated and called Gardner, a Democrat, a "reckless liberal prosecutor."

The House authorized the legislative investigation a week after the indictment.

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley also launched an inquiry into a veterans' charity Greitens founded. Federal law bars 501(c)(3) charities such as The Mission Continues from intervening in political campaigns on behalf of candidates.

The Associated Press first reported in October 2016 that Greitens' campaign had obtained a list of individuals, corporations and other nonprofits that had given at least $1,000 to The Mission Continues. The AP reported that Greitens raised about $2 million from those who had previously given significant amounts to the charity.

Hawley, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, turned evidence over to Gardner, saying April 17 that he believed Greitens had broken the law. Her office charged him with tampering with computer data for allegedly disclosing the donor list without the charity's permission.

A May 2 report from the House investigative committee indicated that Greitens himself received the donor list and later directed aides to work off it to raise money for his gubernatorial campaign. Former campaign aide Danny Laub testified that he was duped into taking the fall when the campaign tried to explain how it had gotten the list.

Earlier Tuesday, the House panel had heard a second round of testimony from Greitens campaign aide Michael Hafner, who said Greitens had instructed him to use the charity donor list for political fundraising.

The invasion-of-privacy indictment alleged that on March 21, 2015, Greitens photographed the woman and transmitted the photo "in a manner that allowed access to that image via a computer."

During her testimony to the House committee, the woman said Greitens invited her to his home and offered to show her "how to do a proper pull-up." The woman said she initially thought "this is going to be some sort of sexy workout."

But once in his basement, Greitens taped her hands to pull-up rings, blindfolded her, and started kissing and disrobing her without her consent, according to her testimony.

Then she saw a flash and heard a click, like a cellphone camera, she said. The woman testified that Greitens told her: "Don't even mention my name to anybody at all, because if you do, I'm going to take these pictures, and I'm going to put them everywhere I can. They are going to be everywhere, and then everyone will know what a little whore you are."

Greitens, a married father of two young boys, repeatedly denied blackmailing the woman. He declined to say whether he took a photo, and prosecutors acknowledged in court that they had not found a photo.

The governor, who also served as a White House fellow and wrote a best-selling book, won an expensive Republican primary in 2016, then defeated Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster in the general election to give Republicans control of the governor's mansion for the first time in eight years. Some considered him a potential future presidential contender.

Associated Press writers Summer Ballentine and Blake Nelson in Jefferson City, Jim Salter in St. Louis, John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, Lisa Mascaro in Washington and Steve Peoples in New York City contributed to this report.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>After several months of bitter legal battles and political tussles, first-term Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens says he is resigning as of June 1.

Greitens who was facing a felony charge and possible impeachment had been under investigation over allegations that he tried to dodge the state's campaign disclosure laws and to blackmail a former lover.

"This ordeal has been designed to cause an incredible amount of strain on my family; millions of dollars of mounting legal bills, endless personal attacks designed to cause maximum damage to family and friends," he said in a statement from his Jefferson City office.

Republican Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, who was elected separately, will succeed Greitens.

Prior to taking office, Greitens had pledged to root out "corrupt career politicians" but his brief 17-month tenure was plagued by scandal.

The governor's extramarital affair with his former hairdresser in 2015 made headlines just hours after Greitens' state of the state address in January. A secretly recorded conversation between the woman he'd had an affair with and her then-husband, revealed claims that Greitens had taken a compromising photo of her and was threatening to release it if she told anyone about their illicit relationship.

The recording was released by the woman's ex-husband without her knowledge and it launched a criminal investigation by authorities. Eventually, the scandal also unspooled into a separate case looking into the illegal use of a charity donor list by Greiten's campaign to raise campaign funds.

A legislative inquiry lead by the House investigative committee subpoenaed the embattled Republican and political novice on Friday, demanding he appear and testify under oath on June 4. The governor's legal team attempted to stave off the subpoena, but on Tuesday a Cole County judge ruled it could go forward.

Greitens, who has consistently denied all criminal allegations and refused to heed calls for his resignation, announced hours later that he would give up the governor's seat.

This story will be updated.
Governor of Missouri Eric Greitens announces that he is resigning amid sexual misconduct and misuse of a charity donor list allegations against him. Greitens claims that he is the victim of a "political witch hunt". Lt. Governor Mike Parson will assume the governorship once Greitens' resignation takes effect on June 1.