Eric Greitens' Ex-Wife Speaks Out After He Attacked Her Abuse Allegations

The ex-wife of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens pushed back Tuesday against his bizarre claim that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and political operatives were involved in her decision to make her abuse allegations against the Republican Senate candidate public.

“I stand by my sworn statement,” Sheena Greitens, a college professor based in Texas, wrote in a statement on Twitter. “I did not discuss the contents of my affidavit with anyone other than my counsel, and after the affidavit was filed, my immediate family.”

Her statement came a day after The Associated Press first reported that Sheena Greitens accused her ex-husband, a leading contender in the Aug. 2 Republican primary, of physically abusing her and their children during their marriage. The allegations were revealed in court records Monday in an ongoing child custody case.

Greitens denied the allegations, then went on Steve Bannon’s right-wing podcast and said he believes his ex-wife conspired with McConnell and Washington, D.C., “operatives” because he said he wouldn’t support McConnell as Senate majority leader if their party takes back the chamber in this year’s midterm elections.

“What we found out today is that RINOs are now working to make more false allegations,” Greitens told Bannon on Monday, using a disparaging acronym for “Republicans in name only.”

“The truth will come out, and what I can tell you, Steve, is as early as tomorrow morning the story about how the political operatives worked with Mitch McConnell supporters to bring this out is all coming to light,” he added.

The story that Greitens alluded to hadn’t come out as of Tuesday evening.

In the meantime, Greitens — who resigned as Missouri governor in 2018 amid a sex and campaign finance scandal — is facing calls from Republicans to end his Senate campaign or risk further disgracing them and potentially losing a safe GOP seat. Greitens is running to replace Republican Roy Blunt, who is among those calling on him to drop out “if the allegations filed with the court are true,” Blunt said.

Asked about it Tuesday, McConnell didn’t say that Greitens should end his campaign. He said it’s something voters will need to take into consideration but hinted that it may hurt the party in November when they fight for control of the Senate, which is now divided 50-50.

“All of the developments over the last 24 hours are things the people of Missouri are going to take into account both in the primary and, I would assume, take into account in the general,” McConnell told reporters.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also called on Greitens to drop out, along with several of Greitens’ primary rivals: Reps. Billy Long and Vicky Hartzler and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. Democrat Lucas Kunce, who conceivably benefits the most from facing a weakened Republican in the general election, said Greitens “should be in jail, not running for U.S. Senate.”

Sheena Greitens’ allegations threaten to thwart her ex-husband’s political comeback several years after his extramarital affair led to allegations of sexual assault and an invasion of privacy charge that nearly resulted in his impeachment. Greitens was also investigated over campaign finance issues but was never charged. He resigned in 2018 and stayed out of politics until reemerging last year in a bid to replace Blunt.

In her affidavit, Sheena Greitens described her husband’s “unstable and coercive behavior” that included physical abuse and threats of suicide. She also alleged that one of their two sons came home with a bruised face and a loose tooth after a visit with Greitens. The tooth eventually had to be removed, according to the affidavit. Eric Greitens has called her allegations “baseless.”

Sheena Greitens said she’s prepared to describe the incidents involving her ex-husband under oath.

“At the appropriate time in the legal process, I will provide whatever evidence and documentation the court requests, including testimony under oath,” she wrote in her statement.

Despite the disturbing accusations surrounding their marriage, Greitens hasn’t given any indication that he’s planning to follow the lead of Sean Parnell, the Pennsylvania Republican who ended his Senate campaign in November after his estranged wife testified under oath about instances of physical and psychological abuse.

Recent reports indicate that Donald Trump was considering whether he should endorse Greitens in Missouri, but Trump’s thoughts about the race haven’t been revealed since the accusations in Greitens’ custody battle went public.

Igor Bobic contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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