With the Missouri legislature in special session to decide whether or not to impeach Republican Gov. Eric Greitens over allegations of sexual misconduct that resulted in a criminal "invasion of privacy" charge, Greitens' campaign team is spending nearly $200,000 on TV ads which treats the matter as a liberal conspiracy plot.
Are the "Liberals" Out to Get Eric Greitens?
The ad begins with news coverage of the recent dismissal of the "invasion of privacy" charge, followed by a narrator suggesting sinister forces are trying to thwart the governor: "Court documents prove the fake news paid thousands for allegations against Greitens. A liberal St. Louis prosecutor funded by George Soros pressed charges ... Don't let the liberals get away with it."There's a lot to unpack there. The prosecutor, St. Louis Circuit Attorney, Kim Gardner did receive a donation from a group created by liberal financier George Soros in her campaign for her current post, but there's no evidence to suggest Gardner's prosecution is at Soros' command (as Snopes notes, Soros is a common boogeyman in right-wing conspiracy theories.) The invasion of privacy was dropped by Gardner after Greitens' lawyers planned to depose her, and pursue allegations she covered up perjury, but that doesn't mean the legal matter is resolved; unmentioned in the ad is the possibility of a special counsel refiling the charges.
Eric Greitens Calls Sexual Misconduct Charges "Fake News"
The ad suggests a liberal media "fake news" conspiracy, and it's true that the publisher of the Missouri Times newspaper paid $50,000 to the attorney of the man whose ex-wife accuses Greitens of sexual misconduct. But that paper, and the publisher, is politically aligned with the state Republican Party establishment, not the "liberals"The narrator urged viewers to "stand with Navy Seal Eric Greitens and conservative legislators in fighting for the low tax, pro-life, job growth agenda Missouri needs." But the Missouri legislature that called the special session, after collecting signatures from three-quarters of its members, is overwhelmingly Republican.
But details aside, if Greitens can successfully rally a conservative base deeply suspicious of liberals and the media, perhaps a majority of the Missouri won't feel pressured to vote for impeachment.