CAPITOL OFFICE - - COMMITTEES State Capitol . OSpecial Committee on Government 201 West Capitol Avenue Oversight, Ranking Minority Member Room 105H . 'Budget Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806 . Tele: {573} 751-3736 E-Mail: -General Laws Petermerideth@house.mo.gov ~5ubcommittee on Appropriations - General Administration -Joint Committee on Administrative Rules 'Subcommittee on Second Amendment Preservation MISSOURI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Representative Peter Merideth State Representative District 80 May I, 20I 8 The Honorable Todd Richardson, Speaker Missouri House of Representatives State Capitol Building Room 308 Jefferson City, MO 6510] Dear Mr. Speaker: On 'I?hursday, March I, 2018 the Missouri House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 5565 by a unanimous vote. The measure sponsored by Rep. Jay Barnes tasked the Special Investigative Committee on Oversight investigate allegations against Governor Eric R. Greitens and report back to the House of Representatives.? During floor debate, Rep. Barnes educated the body that SICO was expressly not authorized to pursue impeachment but was rather tasked with unbiased fact?gathering. Members ofthe body would be able to draw their own conclusions from report and decide for ourselves how to proceed next. HR 5565 made no mention of ?impeachment." SICO submitted its ?rst Report on Wednesday, April I -- consisting of of?cial report, as well as transcripts of the testimony and exhibits received by SICO. SICO then authorized itself to continue meeting through the end ofthe Second Regular Session and will likely submit further reports to the Missouri House of Representatives regarding other allegations against the governor. The details ofthe first submitted Report describe actions taken by a candidate for the highest of?ce in the State ol'Missouri that are disturbing, abusive, and criminal. House Rule 63(3) ol'the Rules ofthe Missouri House, 99'? General Assembly reads: "Any resolution offered to request an investigation ofa state official for the purposes of impeachment shall be referred to any committee designated by the Speaker. Articles of impeachment shall only be introduced by the committee designated to investigate the matter and shall be read by title on three separate days.? (emphasis added). On April 17, 2018, Minority leader Gail McCann-Beatty tiled HR 6783, to authorize SICO to investigate impeachment and to introduce Articles oflmpeaehment to the Assembly upon a finding of good cause. In the two weeks following, no action has been taken by you. The Resolution has still not been referred to SICO. nor has any committee introduced articles of impeachment. We understand that you may not want to distract SICO from continuing its investigation of other allegations against the Governor and are asking to defer action until after Session finishes. While further investigation is certainly warranted into additional allegations against Eric R. .- In. - .m'u . xi" . Greitens, the gravity of what has been outlined in Report demands that action be taken immediately. For that reason, we are writing to offer an alternate approach, as follows: Today. House Democrats lilcd an alternate resolution HR 7432 to authorize a committee to investigate the first SICO Report, as well as any subsequent reports that may be received, to determine whether good cause exists to impeach l-Zric R. GI'eitens and, upon such a ?nding, to introduce articles of impeachment. SICO will then be free to continue investigating further matters while the Assembly begins to take action. We request that you immediately refer this Resolution to a committee ofyour choosing, to begin the process of impeachment. Further delay on this matter tells our constituents across the state that despite unanimous agreement ofa bipartisan committee those allegations of atrocious sexual assault are credible. such assault is insuf?cient cause to remove our state?s highest elected official from of lice. We implore you to act quickly on this matter, and to begin steps to remove this man from our highest office. The President Pro Tem ofthe Senate has called for impeachment, and our Attorney General has confirmed that the details of the repelt are sufficient for impeachment. The people of Missouri are waiting on us to act the time to do so is now. Respectfully. The undersigned Members ofthc Missouri House of Representatives: M. Wit,? We? ntalivc li?eie?%?rideth Representative Lauren Arthur District 18 77/24?, Representative DaRon McGee Distri t36 ?Eistrict 23 Representative Alan?reen District 67 Representative Bruce I: ranks ill/L Representative Fred Wessels District 81 . a, Zea/me . I epresentativebjoe Adams Representative Stac - Newman District @1587 Repi?scntativc Deb Lavender Representativeboug Beck District 90 District 92 Epl/esentative Mi'ke Revis District 97 Repres ative Cry Distric 132