Former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens knew there was "sufficient evidence" for the felony charge of computer tampering to go to trial, according to the unredacted agreement between Greitens and the St. Louis Circuit Attorney.
The full version of the document was released late Wednesday afternoon to several media outlets who'd filed public records requests for the full agreement — which stipulated that the charge would be dropped when Greitens resigned. Attorney General Josh Hawley's office agreed Tuesday that it should be made public.
The newly released document does not mean Greitens admitted guilt. But it sheds light on the once-secret agreement that details Greitens' acknowledgement "shall be sealed and shall not be made public by any party unless defendant commit a new offense or engages in public comment contrary to the stipulation."
Greitens was charged on April 20 with the felony, which was related to allegations that he illegally took a donor list from The Mission Continues, a charity for veterans that he co-founded, and used it to fundraise for his gubernatorial campaign.
By then, the Republican was facing another felony charge: an allegation that he took, without permission, a nude photo of the woman with whom he had an affair and threatened to blackmail her. The woman's testimony to a special Missouri House committee investigating the governor had been made public as well, and the calls for his resignation mounted.
But Greitens was defiant, denying the charges and allegations and calling them a "political witch hunt." The first felony charge, also in St. Louis Circuit Court, was dropped on May 14, though Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker is deciding whether to reinstate those as the special counsel in the case.
His fight was over May 29, however. Greitens announced that afternoon he was resigning, and St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner said the next day that her office and Greitens' defense team had reached an agreement.
Greitens left office Friday, and Lt. Gov. Mike Parson was sworn in the same day.
Also Wednesday, St. Louis Public Radio reported that the House committee dropped a lawsuit that wanted Greitens' camp to turn over documents from A New Missouri, the political nonprofit that advocated for Greitens' gubernatorial agenda and does not have to divulge its donors. The committee didn't give a reason for dropping the suit, but an attorney for the panel said in a statement it can refile the suit at a later date.
Erica Hunzinger is the editor of Harvest Public Media and a contributor to KCUR 89.3. Follow her on Twitter: @ehunzinger
