Politics

Hawley demands fellow Republican drop out of Senate race: ‘You belong in handcuffs, not US Senate’

March 22, 2022 | | Print Article

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(Video Credit: Fox 2 St. Louis)

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) bluntly told scandal-ridden former Gov. Eric Greitens (R-MO), who is running for the US Senate, that he should be in handcuffs following a court filing by his ex-wife who is accusing him of spousal and child abuse.

“If you hit a woman or a child, you belong in handcuffs, not the United States Senate,” Hawley asserted. “It’s time for Eric Greitens to leave this race.”

Hawley has endorsed Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) for the Senate seat. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) endorsed Missouri state Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R). Greitens is currently the front-runner for the GOP’s nomination in Missouri.

He resigned in 2018 after he admitted to an affair with his hairdresser. His mistress accused him of physical and sexual abuse and attempted blackmail after taking compromising photos without her consent. Greitens has denied the allegations and claims the interactions were consensual. A state legislative investigation found the accusations credible.

His ex-wife, Sheena Greitens, stated in a court filing on Monday that the Senate candidate had abused both her and their children according to the Washington Post. The filing is part of an ongoing custody battle.

Allegations include knocking her down, taking away her phone and keys, physically abusing their children, and then threatening suicide if she did not publicly back him during the scandal involving his mistress.

“In early June 2018, I became afraid for my safety and that of our children at our home, which was fairly isolated, due to Eric’s unstable and coercive behavior,” she charged. “This behavior included physical violence toward our children, such as cuffing our then three-year-old son across the face at the dinner table in front of me and yanking him around by the hair.”

Sheena Greitens goes on to contend that following a visit with their father in 2019, one of the children returned home “with a swollen face, bleeding gums, and a loose tooth.” He claimed it was a result of “roughhousing.”

The Greitens divorced in 2020.

Greitens’ campaign manager branded the ex-wife’s claims as “a politically-motivated attack” against the GOP Senate candidate. He is seeking to take the seat of retiring Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO).

“Eric will fight for his children and defend himself from these outright lies. His children deserve a father who will speak the truth and stand up against malicious attacks that are clearly politically motivated,” his campaign declared.

Hawley was the state’s attorney general in 2018. When Greitens resigned, Hawley said he had “done the right thing.” Hawley’s office also said that Greitens may have committed a felony by using a donor list of his veterans’ charity to solicit donations when he was running for governor in 2016 according to The Hill.

Greitens sought a restraining order against Hawley in an effort to halt the investigations. His request was denied.

The other Republican candidates in Missouri running for the Senate are now calling for Greitens to bow out.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler blasted him in a video response that was released on Monday, calling for the former governor to suspend his campaign and “get professional help.”

“Well, I have one thing that I want to say. Real men never abuse women and children. Period. End of story,” Hartzler stated. “It’s time for Eric to get out of the Senate race and to get professional help.”

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt also told Greitens to get out of the race.

“These allegations of abuse are disgusting and sickening. As Missouri’s attorney general, I know a predator when I see one, and I have fought for victims every step of the way,” Schmitt tweeted on Monday.

“The behavior described in this affidavit is cause for Eric Greitens to be in prison, not on the ballot for U.S. Senate. He should end his campaign immediately,” he remarked.

The beleaguered candidate has attempted to cast himself as a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump who has not endorsed anyone in the race yet. Politico reported earlier in March that Trump was “open to endorsing Greitens.” That does not seem likely at this juncture considering the bad publicity surrounding Greitens.

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