It wasn’t even three years ago that “family values” Republican Eric Greitens resigned as Governor of Missouri after being accused of sexual misconduct and blackmail. But apparently he thinks enough time has passed that he can mount a political comeback.
A little backstory: In 2018, Greitens was charged with first-degree felony invasion of privacy after his former hair-dresser-turned-mistress accused him of tying her to a chair in a basement, spitting in her mouth, ripping open her shirt, taking her picture, forcing her to perform oral sex on him, and then trying to blackmail her to keep quiet about the whole thing.
Greitens admitted to the affair but denied anything violent or nonconsensual happened, calling it “a months-long consenting relationship between two adults.” In his resignation letter, he citied a laundry lists of reasons why he was stepping down, including:
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.
After avoiding spotlight for the last three years, Greitens is stepping back out onto the political stage. This week, he announced his intention to run for Senate next year.
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The 46-year-old made the announcement on Fox News, spouting off all sorts of extreme and racially-coded rightwing talking points in his first campaign pitch.
“I was honored to serve the people of Missouri as their governor,” he said. “We took on the establishment, we killed a politicians’ pay raise, we ended a corrupt tax-credit program. And when antifa came to Missouri, we stood side-by-side with police officers and we were able to restore law and order and defeat antifa.”
He also called himself a “fighter” and vowed to continue “defending President Trump’s America First policies and also to protecting the people of Missouri from Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer’s radical, leftist agenda.”
Once considered a rising star in the Republican Party, Greitens hopes to replace Sen. Roy Blunt, who recently announced he will not be running for re-election in 2022.
He also made the announcement on Twitter yesterday, writing: “I’m proud to be running to represent the great state of Missouri in the US Senate. We NEED American Patriots fighting alongside us every step of the way. Join us to STOP the Liberal takeover of our freedoms.”
I’m proud to be running to represent the great state of Missouri in the US Senate.
We NEED American Patriots fighting alongside us every step of the way.
Join us to STOP the Liberal takeover of our freedoms: https://t.co/NHvqHiRjSF
— Eric Greitens (@EricGreitens) March 22, 2021
Unfortunately for him, the big announcement wasn’t met with much, shall we say, positive enthusiasm…
it’d be a shame if your mugshot was the top response to this tweet pic.twitter.com/DjlXqRLE6v
— ethan gaskill, he/him (@ethangaskill1) March 22, 2021
You may remember Eric Greitens from a blackmail scandal where his hairdresser testified under oath that he coerced her into performing oral sex and took photos of her naked & blindfolded to use as blackmail if she ever told anyone what he did.
Good luck on the campaign, shitbag.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 23, 2021
Technically Greitens just had a sex basement.
— The Doubtful Guest (@InsideATureen) March 23, 2021
Remind us, why did you resign as MO. Governor?
— Alf (@GordonShumway66) March 23, 2021
Aren’t you the guy who tied up and blindfolded a woman, made her give you a BJ and then blackmailed her?
— SueZQ82CubFan (@SueZq82cubfan) March 23, 2021
— Heather Taff Friganza (@HeatherFriganza) March 22, 2021
Sex offender wants more freedom…
to do what, exactly?— Harlow (@AngryInAGoodWay) March 23, 2021
Let’s be honest. He cant be trusted with ANY position that involves being close to women.
— Zachary Starbuck (@ZacharyStarbuc1) March 22, 2021
Hope you’ll make decrying “cancel culture” a central part of your campaign.
So everyone can keep circling back to why you resigned as governor.
— Doktor Zoom (@DoktorZoom) March 23, 2021
Wait, aren’t you that perv with the camera?
— BeachBubbaTex (@BeachBubbaTex) March 22, 2021
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
Cam
So a typical Republican.
cuteguy
50 shades of stupid = GQP/Fox News
Kangol2
Grotesque GOP creep.
Don’t forget that a Missouri House committee (headed by Republicans) allegedly uncovered more credible allegations about Greiten’s mistreatment of this woman, and that the original allegations, which Republicans also allegedly found credible, were that he photographed his extramarital affair lover without her consent to keep her from speaking about their affair.
Also, the Missouri Ethics Committee conducted further investigations into campaign finance violations, and an ethics committee found that there was evidence Greitens campaign committed violations, something his campaign allegedly admitted to as well.
If he helps throw the election and victory to a Democrat, then he should run. If Missouri’s voters are willing to go off the deep end and elect this man, that says everything about them.
BoomerMyles
Maybe he and Armie Hammer can run for President and VP of pervert land.
Prax07
GOP is THE party of the worst humanity has to offer. How Republicans are still a thing is baffling.
BaltoSteve
Well, that’s right on brand. After all, this country elected and endured 45.
[email protected]
Like gay people don’t spit on their sex partners during sex? Don’t just have a knee jerk reaction because he’s a Republican and you hate anyone with political beliefs that stray from yours. Gay Republicans do exists and don’t deserve to be canceled by the “woke”, virtue signaling fascists that seem to pervade media and the Democratic party these days.
James
HA HA HA HA HA. WHAT’S THE MATTER DEAR, YOU MISS THE NAZI LUNATICS THAT SUPPORT TRUMP !!! HA HA HA HA HA.
Kangol2
@bankruptmenow, Greitens did more than “spit on” his “sex partner” during sex. Queerty managed to trivialize the serious allegations against this lying GOP creep, so serious he resigned in an extremely conservative state. Let’s say that again so you grasp it: Greitens resigned, based on serious allegations against him, in an extremely conservative state almost completely run at the state level by Republicans. Not Democrats, but Republicans.
If you think it’s OK to have extramarital affairs and then violently threaten the person you have the affair with with personal harm, and lie about it, and then misuse campaign funds as if they’re candy and lie about it, then that says everything about. Even most Missouri Republicans didn’t want this creep around, but you’re defending him. Got it.
barryaksarben
Oh I have spit in my partners mouth. YES. BUT it was consensual and no one was tied to a chair unable to leave. See no the difference. IF he wasnt such a PUKE people might have told him about safe words. And you are the troll coming here and trying so hard to appear fake offended at the mean old gays who do all the nasty stuff. We all know the truly nasty stuff is all on the RIGHT. Denying women their rights, racism, treason, and hatred to all others. You are a joke and we all know it. What kinky shit do you do that you hide because you cant be honest with yourself or others?
James
ANOTHER TRUMP SUPPORTING NAZI TRASH LOSER. DON’T LET THIS CREEP BACK IN GOVERNMENT !!!
furrychest
I believe he was acquitted of all charges. Until cancel culture, in the United States people were considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
GayEGO
As I expected, he is a Republican!