A felony invasion of privacy case against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens will continue on despite his attorneys' attempts to have it thrown out, a St. Louis judge ruled Thursday.
Judge Rex Burlison said in court that St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner had committed "sanctionable" rules violations and he found it "troubling" prosecutors had called defense attorneys' motion to dismiss "frivolous."
"These rules are not mere rules of etiquette," Burlison said.
Though he didn't throw out the case, Burlison will allow Greitens' attorneys to retake depositions and will consider monetary sanctions at the conclusion of the case.
Greitens' attorneys had asked the judge to throw out the felony case against the governor over claims that prosecutors had withheld key evidence.
Greitens, who is facing growing pressure to resign, was indicted in February after allegations that he took a semi-nude photo of a woman and threatened to release it to silence her about their 2015 affair. Greitens has admitted to the affair but has denied allegations of blackmail and says their relationship was "entirely consensual."
Defense attorneys claimed that prosecutors withheld a videotaped deposition of the woman until shortly after a special House committee investigating Greitens released a report last week that includes claims of abuse against her.
Prosecutors have blamed private investigator William Tisaby for the delays in handing over evidence. Gardner's office hired Tisaby rather than relying on local law enforcement.
Defense attorneys also claimed that 11 pages of Tisaby's notes from a separate deposition of a friend of the woman were turned over late.
Greitens is facing a growing chorus of calls for his resignation, including by Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley, a Republican running to unseat U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat.
Hawley announced Tuesday that he had uncovered potential criminal wrongdoing by Greitens stemming from a separate investigation of the governor's alleged use of a charity donor list to raise money for his campaign for governor. Hawley turned the evidence over to Gardner for a possible indictment.
Republican leaders in the Missouri General Assembly have also begun calling for Greitens' resignation, and Senate President Ron Richard, R-Joplin, said he should be impeached if he refuses to resign.
