JEFFERSON CITY • Missouri Treasurer Eric Schmitt said Monday he was monitoring the governor's hiring of two taxpayer-paid impeachment attorneys after the state auditor and attorney general raised concerns on Friday.
From Greitens' initial statement to the legal battle, read the Post-Dispatch coverage of the governor's scandal.
"The Treasurer takes his duty to protect taxpayers seriously and will act diligently to ensure appropriate procedures are followed in this matter," said Garrett Poorman, spokesman for Schmitt, a Republican.
On Friday, Attorney General Josh Hawley, a Republican, wrote to Auditor Nicole Galloway, a Democrat, that Gov. Eric Greitens' office could not legally hire outside counsel without first seeking permission from the attorney general's office — something it had not done.
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Hawley's letter followed an earlier inquiry from the auditor in regard to the two attorneys — Ross Garber and Ed Greim — who are making a combined $660 per hour and say they are working on behalf of the governor's office, not Greitens himself.
From Greitens' initial statement to the legal battle, read the Post-Dispatch coverage of the governor's scandal.
Greitens retained the attorneys as the Legislature announced an unprecedented special session to consider impeachment against Greitens. His spokesman, Parker Briden, said that state law allows the governor to hire outside counsel without the approval of the attorney general's office.
"The governor’s adversaries would no doubt like to deprive the Governor’s office of qualified counsel," Briden said.
The committee charged with investigating Greitens has released two reports, one containing allegations of sexual misconduct against the governor and the second accusing the governor of lying to state election officials. The committee is set to meet again on Tuesday.
Poorman, on Monday, said the treasurer's office is seeking "clarification" on the taxpayer-paid attorneys from the state Office of Administration, which is under the Greitens administration's umbrella.
The Office of Administration, under state law, is in charge of certifying state bills before Schmitt's office pays the bills.
"We have not received any payment certifications from the Office of Administration related to the Office of the Governor’s retention of counsel for impeachment proceedings," Poorman said.
"The Office of Administration has not received an invoice for legal services from Ross Garber, Edward Greim, or either of their firms," Ryan Burns, spokeswoman for the Office of Administration, said in a statement Monday afternoon.