The Latest: Most House Republicans favor special session


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ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Latest on allegations involving Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (all times local):

5:20 p.m.

The Missouri House speaker says most Republicans in his chamber have signed a petition calling for a special session during which lawmakers could consider impeaching Republican Gov. Eric Greitens.

House Speaker Todd Richardson did not provide specific numbers Thursday but said "well over a majority" of Republicans are on board. He also anticipates overwhelming support from Democrats.

Three-quarters of each chamber of the Legislature must sign off on a special session.

Lawmakers are to halt work May 18 on their regular session.

Greitens is to go to trial May 14 on a felony indictment accusing him of taking a compromising, unauthorized photo of a woman with whom he had an affair. He also faces a felony charge related to his use of a charity donor list for his gubernatorial campaign.

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2:30 p.m.

A former FBI agent whose investigation of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has drawn stern criticism from the governor's lawyers has declined to answer questions in a deposition.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner hired William Tisaby rather than using police for the investigation into Greitens' extramarital affair.

A grand jury in February indicted Greitens on felony invasion of privacy. He is accused of taking a compromising, unauthorized photo of the woman. The affair was in 2015, before he was elected.

Tisaby appeared for a deposition on Thursday but invoked his constitutional right not to incriminate himself.

Greitens also was charged last week with computer tampering related to his use of a charity donor list for his gubernatorial campaign.

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11:15 a.m.

A lawyer for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is arguing that Attorney General Josh Hawley should be barred from investigating the governor because of critical comments potentially motivated by Hawley's candidacy for the U.S. Senate.

During a court hearing Thursday, Greitens' attorney Jim Bennett said Hawley displayed a "personal interest" when he called upon Greitens to resign. Hawley's comment came after a House investigatory panel released a report earlier this month detailing allegations of sexual misconduct by Greitens.

An attorney for Hawley argued Thursday that the resignation call showed leadership and was unrelated to Hawley's separate investigation of Greitens' alleged political use of a charity donor list. Both Hawley and Greitens are Republicans.

Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem issued no immediate ruling.

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10:15 a.m.

A St. Louis judge has turned down a request from attorneys for Missouri Republican Gov. Eric Greitens to require deposition testimony from the state's former Democratic Party chairman in one of the governor's two felony cases.

Circuit Judge Rex Burlison on Thursday turned down a request to depose Roy Temple over whether he made payments to the ex-husband of a St. Louis woman who had an affair with Greitens in 2015, before he was elected.

Attorney Joseph Bednar told the judge that Temple has repeatedly denied any payments to the man.

Greitens faces trial in May on an invasion of privacy charge for allegedly taking a compromising and unauthorized photo of the woman. He's also charged with computer data tampering over use of a charity donor list in his political campaign.

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