Missouri legislators return to capitol amid governor uproar

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on allegations against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (all times local):

9:20 a.m.

A spokeswoman says a request for the Missouri attorney general’s office to recuse itself from investigating a charity founded by Republican Gov. Eric Greitens is “frivolous.”

Greitens’ attorney Edward L. Dowd Jr. has raised concerns over Republican Attorney General Josh Hawley’s call last week for the governor to resign. Dowd argued that the attorney general’s investigation of veterans charity The Mission Continues is compromised because of that.

Hawley called for Greitens to step down after allegations of sexual misconduct outlined in a House investigatory report. Attorney general spokeswoman Mary Compton says says that’s not related to Hawley’s investigation into the charity’s possible violations of the state’s consumer protection and charitable registration and reporting laws.

A growing number of Missouri elected officials have called on Greitens to step down over allegations of unwanted sexual aggression against a woman with whom he has said he had a consensual extramarital affair in 2015.

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11:40 p.m.

Missouri lawmakers are returning to work at the Capitol amid turmoil in Republican Gov. Eric Greitens’ office.

A growing number of Missouri elected officials have called on Greitens to step down over allegations of unwanted sexual aggression against a woman with whom he has said he had a consensual extramarital affair in 2015. Greitens faces a felony invasion-of-privacy charge for allegedly taking a nonconsensual photograph of the woman while she was partially nude.

Greitens’ troubles threaten to distract from Republicans’ agenda. Senate Democrats proposed blocking all bills from going to Greitens’ desk in protest of claims against him. But Republican legislative leaders insist they won’t let strife in the governor’s office derail work to pass a budget and enact other policy changes.