Concerns About Governor Spur Historic Move in Missouri

In a historic move, Missouri lawmakers announced Thursday that they are calling themselves into a special session later this month to consider impeaching Gov. Eric Greitens following allegations of sexual misconduct and misuse of charity resources for his political campaign. Republican House and Senate leaders said they had gathered more than the constitutionally required signatures of three-fourths of the members of each chamber to summon themselves into a special session that will start at 6:30pm on May 18—just 30 minutes after the end of work in their regular session. It will mark the first time in Missouri history that lawmakers have called a special session. Extraordinary sessions typically are called by governors.

"This was not a decision made lightly and certainly not without great deliberation and effort," Missouri House Speaker Todd Richardson said. He pledged a "fair process that will not be rushed to conclusion," the AP reports. According to the Missouri Constitution, the special session can last no more than 30 days. If the House votes to impeach Greitens, which requires 82 votes, the Senate then would appoint a panel of seven judges to conduct a trial on whether to remove him from office. All of Missouri's top Republican and Democratic legislative leaders already had called on Greitens to resign, which he has declined to do.