_Madi Baughman is a freshman journalism and political science major at MU. She is an opinions columnist who writes about political and civil rights issues for The Maneater._
As a Missourian, you may have seen the name “Eric Greitens” popping up like wildfire in the media, though not for a positive reason. Greitens, who had his shocking extramarital affair back in 2015 revealed and was charged with invasion of privacy, is back in the spotlight. This time around, it’s still not in a positive light: He has been accused of yet another felony — computer tampering. He allegedly obtained a donor list from his charity, The Mission Continues, without permission and used the list for political fundraising.
As a society, we have become used to particularly nasty accusations when it comes to politicians, so it can be easy to ignore what is happening as a lot of us are desensitized or simply don’t care anymore. However, if the state reviews the evidence presented and these acts are proven, Missouri will be left with a governor who has been associated with multiple felonies and lied to his voting base. Is it possible to put full trust in someone to lead while knowing full well they may be lying to your face?
Angry constituents aren’t the only people who feel this way, either — some of Missouri’s top politicians, even from the Republican Party, are calling for Greitens to step down or for the impeachment process to begin. House Speaker Todd Richardson, House Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr and House Majority Floor Leader Rob Vescovo said that “the time has come for the governor to resign.” Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard went further to say that they should “immediately start impeachment proceedings.”
At this point in time, government in Missouri has become more about whether or not Greitens is capable to lead the state than what legislation and policies will affect Missouri’s future. No matter what party you support, Missourians deserve someone who can effectively lead and has a plan for the future, rather than someone who is constantly caught up in scandals. The weight of Greitens’ actions have taken a toll on Missouri citizens, and it has become clear through the severity of the accusations against him that he does not have the best interests of his constituents at heart.
Whatever you believe about what Greitens has done in his past, it’s clear that these things will continue to have an impact on Missouri’s future. Greitens needs to clean up his act and address what has happened in a clear manner, with a path laid out as for how he plans to govern Missouri, or resign and let someone without such a questionable history take over the position. Missouri needs a governor who will do what is best for the people, not what is best for himself.
