‘You Belong in Handcuffs, Not the United States Senate’: Josh Hawley Calls on Fellow Republican to Drop Out of Senate Race
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Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) called on disgraced former Gov. Eric Greitens (R-MO) to quit his U.S. Senate campaign in light of a recent court filing by the latter’s ex-wife.
Greitens resigned as Missouri governor in 2018 after he admitted to having an affair with his hairdresser. The woman alleged that Greitens was physically and sexually abusive toward her and took compromising photos without her consent in an effort to blackmail her. He has denied the allegations.
On Monday, the Washington Post reported that Greitens’ ex-wife Sheena Greitens, said in a court filing as part of a custody battle that the former governor was physically abusive toward her and their children.
“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 alleged in a filing with Boone County Circuit Court. “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 also claims that after a visit with their father in 2019, one of her children came home “with a swollen face, bleeding gums, and a loose tooth.”
The couple divorced in 2020.
In response, Eric Greitens’ campaign manager called her claims “a politically-motivated attack” against the Senate candidate, who is hoping to succeed the retiring Roy Blunt (R-MO).
Hawley, Missouri’s other senator, called on Greitens to quit the race shortly after publication of the Post article, which he tweeted.
“If you hit a woman or a child, you belong in handcuffs, not the United States Senate,” said Hawley. “It’s time for Eric Greitens to leave this race.”
Hawley has already endorsed Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) for the seat.
Greitens has attempted to portray himself as a strong backer of former President Donald Trump, who has yet to endorse a candidate in the race.
A report in POLITICO earlier this month indicated that he is “open to endorsing Greitens,” even as Missouri Republicans worry that he would be a weak candidate in November’s general election.
