JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the resignation of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (all times local):
6:40 p.m.
Top Missouri Republicans are welcoming new Gov. Mike Parson to office.
Parson took office Friday, shortly after former Gov. Eric Greitens stepped down amid allegations of both personal and political misconduct. Both are Republicans.
Watch the swearing-in ceremony here
Greitens often clashed with Republican lawmakers and other members of his own party as a self-proclaimed political outsider.
Parson assumes office with more than a decade of state government experience and relationships in politics.
Parson earned praised from former Republican Missouri governors John Ashcroft and Matt Blunt, along with a number of sitting members of Congress. U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner touted him as a “seasoned statesman.”
As a county official, an effective state legislator, and Lieutenant Governor, Mike Parson understands our state in ways that few people do. He will be a great governor and I look forward to helping him in any way I can. https://t.co/9Vivo0dfPS
— Senator Roy Blunt (@RoyBlunt) June 1, 2018
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt said the two became friends in Parson’s hometown of Bolivar more than two decades ago. Blunt says Parson’s past experience as a county sheriff and legislator help him understand the state in ways few people do.
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6:10 p.m.
A staffer who handled open-records requests for former Gov. Eric Greitens downloaded a secret message-deleting app on her phone.
Greitens’ office on Friday provided a judge with a list of 20 staffers who downloaded or used the Confide app as part of proceedings in a lawsuit over alleged records-retention law violations.
The plaintiff’s attorney, Mark Pedroli, says former records coordinator Sarah Madden, as well as Greitens, downloaded or used the Confide app.
The app automatically deletes messages after they are read and prevents recipients from saving, forwarding, printing or taking screenshots of messages.
Other top staffers who used or downloaded Confide include the office’s top attorney and Greitens’ chief of staff.
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5:35 p.m.
Lt. Gov. Mike Parson has been sworn in as Missouri’s new governor after the state’s previous leader resigned amid scandal.
Parson replaces fellow Republican Gov. Eric Greitens, who had been facing possible impeachment in the Missouri House.
The 62-year-old Parson is a cattle farmer who spent 12 years as a county sheriff and another dozen years in the Missouri Legislature before winning election as lieutenant governor in 2016.
The Missouri Constitution automatically elevates the lieutenant governor when the governor leaves office.
Parson will serve the remainder of Greitens’ term, which runs until 2021.
Greitens had been facing allegations of sexual misconduct related to a 2015 affair and accusations of campaign finance violations. He denied criminal wrongdoing but cited growing financial and personal strains from the investigations.
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5 p.m.
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has officially resigned from office.
The Governor of Missouri has resigned. pic.twitter.com/O2B1WwJ0Cl
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) June 1, 2018
Greitens’ resignation Friday will turn the reins of government over to Lt. Gov. Mike Parson, who was to take the oath as governor later Friday evening.
Greitens announced Tuesday that he would resign after months of fighting allegations of sexual and political misconduct.
The Republican who had campaigned as a political outsider ended up serving less than a year-and-a-half in office. He had been facing possible impeachment in the Missouri House and a felony charge in St. Louis for using a charity donor list for political fundraising.
A prosecutor agreed to drop the donor-list charge in exchange for Greitens’ resignation.
A separate prosecutor still is considering whether to refile a felony invasion-of-privacy charge stemming from an extramarital affair in 2015.
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4:50 p.m.
About 70 people and roughly a dozen reporters gathered for a prayer service for Mike Parson, Missouri’s incoming governor.
Parson is currently the lieutenant governor and is set to assume leadership after Gov. Eric Greitens resigns at 5 p.m. Both are Republicans.
Parson’s pastor from his hometown in rural Bolivar, Missouri, opened the service with a prayer that the new leader can be a healing peacemaker.
Parson’s brother, pastor Kent Parson, also lead the gathering in prayer. He quoted scripture, country singer Tim McGraw and former President Harry Truman and preached about moving beyond the past and focusing on today.
Parson is to be sworn in shortly after Greitens officially steps down during a low-key ceremony in the governor’s office.
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4:45 p.m.
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is exiting office amid scandal while touting a long list of things he has accomplished.
In his final moments in office, Greitens posted a nearly 1,500-word message on Facebook proclaiming that “we can look back with pride and forward with confidence.”
The post asserts that he accomplished “more than anyone ever thought possible.”
It touts economic growth, reduced government regulations, tax cuts and measures benefiting law enforcement officers and veterans. The long list also includes efforts to improve the foster care system.
Greitens did not mention the reason he is resigning in the Facebook post.
The Republican governor struck a deal to resign in exchange for a St. Louis prosecutor dropping a charge of misusing a charity donor list for his political campaign.