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Read: Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens' Resignation Speech

Carolina Hidalgo
/
St. Louis Public Radio file photo
Gov. Eric Greitens

Below is the full speech Missouri Governor Eric Greitens gave Tuesday afternoon: 

Today, I am announcing that I will resign as governor of Missouri effective Friday, June 1 at 5 PM. I came to office to fight for the people of Missouri, to fight for the forgotten. I love Missouri and I love our people. That love remains.

I am thankful to all those who have worked beside me, sweated beside me. Those who gave their time, their energy and their precious resources so that we could pursue our mission. Do we have a better direction? We have accomplished a lot together. I am proud of you and I am proud of all of our work.

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. 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, legal harassment of colleagues, friends and campaign workers.

And it's clear that for the forces that oppose us, there is no end in sight. I cannot allow those forces to continue to cause pain and difficulty to the people that I love. I know and people of good faith know that I am not perfect, but I have not broken any laws or committed any offense worthy of this treatment.

I will let the fairness of this process be judged by history. It has been a great honor and a privilege to serve as your governor traveling the state. I've talked to many of you who harbor extraordinary anger at this ordeal and for those who have pushed and promoted it, for those who would be moved to vengeance. Let us allow history and God to bring justice.

We must, as we have always done work to improve the lives of those around us. This is not the end of our fight. I will always be a fighter for the people of Missouri. A great deal of work is left undone. The time has come, though, to tend to those who have been wounded and to care for those who need us most.

So, 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. Let’s love them and each other every day.

May God continue to bless you and to bless the great state of Missouri.

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