Republican Governor Greitens ‘forced sex’ on victim: report

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens is facing calls to resign from both Republicans and Democrats following a legislative report alleging his “shocking” and “substantial” misconduct in an extramarital affair.

The report prepared was by the Missouri House of Representatives released on Wednesday.

The victim claimed she felt she had “no choice” in engaging in sexual acts with the governor, who “slapped” her in the face, according to the report. The committee that prepared the report said they found the claims “credible”. 

“The conduct the Report details is certainly impeachable, in my judgment, and the House is well within its rights to proceed on that front … Governor Greitens should resign immediately,” Josh Hawley, Missouri’s attorney general who is running for US Senate as a Republican, said in a statement.

Greitens, a Republican and former Navy SEAL, has said he wouldn’t step down and called the report a “political witch-hunt”.

The committee that investigated the allegations comprised five Republicans and two Democrats.

#MeToo 

Revelations about Greitens’ alleged misconduct comes in the midst of the worldwide  #MeToo movement, which aims to expose sexual harassment and violence against women in many industries.

Some thought the use of the term “forced sex” to describe Greitens’ alleged misconduct was a deliberate softening of what they viewed as rape.

Bad behavior is bad behavior. Your Tweet only confirms your belief that Greitens is in the same category as other bad boys, and you think that rape, sexual assault, and harrassment are somehow a party issue. Support the victim. #metoo #timesup not political but behavorial reform

— L. Kapfer (@lkbk73) April 11, 2018

The #MeToo movement has called out the alleged misconduct of many in the news and entertainment industries.

However, many politicians have remained unscathed. US President Donald Trump was elected after a recording of him speaking explicitly about making sexual advances on women, claiming he doesn’t “even wait”.

But people took to social media to say the #MeToo movement applies to Republicans.

🤔he is still governor
🤔 A GOP majority ruled state
I guess the @GOP think the #MeToo movement didn’t apply to them!

The #BlueWave2018 is happening for a reason and this right here is why!#WednesdayWisdom https://t.co/ZS9xxM7nev

— jrt1971 (@luvman33wife) April 12, 2018

A ‘Blue wave’

A series of Democratic victories over Republicans in special elections held in typically Republican areas has caused many to predict a “Blue wave,” or Democratic sweep of elections in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections for US Congress.

Democrats across the US are linking state Republicans to Trump’s policies. 

Trump has maintained historically low approval ratings throughout his presidency. According to US polling company Gallup roughly 40 percent of the US approves of Trump’s job as president.

Still, Democratic inaction on issues such as protecting of undocumented immigrants has caused some to question whether a Democratic sweep is coming. 

Samuel Ronan, a progressive Democratic candidate for Congress from Ohio, previously told Al Jazeera that the blue wave would “crash against a red wall” during midterms because people will be disappointed “with the … ineptitude of the failed Democratic party”.