Woman at center of Gov. Greitens affair releases statement through attorneys

ST. LOUIS – Attorneys who represent the unnamed woman at the center of Governor Eric Greitens’ affair released a statement on her behalf Friday afternoon.

Governor Greitens admitted to having the affair this week, but denies allegations that he threatened the woman to keep her quiet.

The woman's attorneys released the following statement:

Our law firm represents the unnamed woman in the recent story involving Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. We are reaching out to you today to ask the media and the public to respect our client’s request for privacy. This story has taken an emotional toll on our client and she is extremely distraught that the information has been made public. It is very disappointing that her ex-husband betrayed her confidence by secretly, and without her knowledge, recording a private and deeply personal conversation and then subsequently released the recording to the media without her consent.

Prior to releasing the story, a number of reporters made contact with our client asking her to comment on the information provided by her ex-husband. In response, she has consistently and continuously asked the reporters to not publish the story. Any comments that were made 'on the record' or 'off the record' have consistently been requests for privacy. Our client is a single mother working hard to raise a family. She is saddened that during this time of national introspection on the treatment of women in our society, allegations about her private life have been published without her permission.

At this time, our client would like to thank each reporter and media outlet who honored her request for privacy prior to the story’s release. She wants to remain a private citizen and does not want to be part of this story. We are asking the media and the public to continue respecting her privacy.

A short time after the above statement was released, attorneys representing the woman's ex-husband released this statement in response:

Albert S. Watkins and the law firm of Kodner Watkins, LC represents the former husband of the woman with whom Governor Greitens has admitted having a protracted affair in 2015. A release was issued earlier today by the St. Charles law firm who represents our client’s former wife. While acknowledging the irony of the statement issued on behalf of our client’s former wife, our client has no intention of getting into a war of words with the mother of his children about betrayal, especially in light of the underlying circumstances involved.

Our client remains committed to doing that which is necessary to protect the interests of his family in general and his minor children in particular. Our client simply seeks to finally get this epic real life drug store novel in his rear view mirror.

Our client has tried valiantly at great personal, emotional and fiscal expense to keep the actions of others from compromising the integrity of the image of his former spouse in the eyes of their children. It became clear that this was not a story that was going to go away. It became clear that our client was without the ability to protect his minor children. It was clear that damage was imminent.

In this era of national heightened awareness and introspection on the treatment of victimized persons in our society, my client seeks to heighten the awareness of the reality that for every woman who has been exploited, victimized, and used by a man in a position of power and authority, there are scores of others, including spouses, significant others, friends, and minor children who become nothing short of forgotten collateral damage, carnage at the side of the interstate.

Our client respectfully suggests the national introspection referred to in his former spouse’s statement be broadened to encompass awareness of the innocents who suffer as mightily as the direct victim.On a more specific level, our client has no interest in Governor Greitens, his political aspirations, or his future. Our client seeks nothing more than the exposure of the truth so as to permit this tragedy to allow all who have been used and victimized to commence the healing process.