JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has been subpoenaed to testify before a special legislative committee investigating whether to recommend his impeachment over allegations of sexual misconduct and political fundraising violations, the committee announced Friday.
Panel chairman Rep. Jay Barnes said the subpoena calls for Greitens to appear before the committee June 4. An attorney representing Greitens said she didn't know whether he would comply.
The subpoena request comes amid mounting tensions between members of the legislative panel and Greitens' attorneys over his refusal to so far appear before the committee that began investigating allegations against him in March.
Attorneys' for the Republican governor have repeatedly criticized the process being used by lawmakers and, earlier this year, asked for his testimony to be delayed until after the conclusion of his criminal trials.
There is no trial date set yet for a felony charge of tampering with computer data alleging that Greitens disclosed a donor list of The Mission Continues to his political fundraiser in 2015 without the permission of the St. Louis-based charity he founded.
A special prosecutor is still deciding whether to refile a separate felony invasion-of-privacy charge dismissed as jury selection began earlier this month. That charge alleged Greitens took and transmitted a nonconsensual photo of an at least partially nude women with whom he has acknowledged having an affair in 2015.
On Friday, the House investigatory committee questioned a forensic expert who analyzed Greitens' cellphone for the aborted invasion-of-privacy case.
Brian Koberna testified that he found traces of three deleted photos from March 21, 2015 — the date in question — but that they were "absolutely benign." He said it's possible there were more deleted photos for which traces no longer exist.