The Latest: Senate leader questions if Greitens can lead

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Latest on the indictment of Republican Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens (all times local):

10:20 a.m.

The second-highest ranking member of the Missouri Senate is questioning whether Gov. Eric Greitens can effectively keep leading the state following his indictment on a felony charge.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe said in a statement Friday that Greitens’ actions have damaged the reputation of the office of governor. Greitens and Kehoe are both Republicans.

A St. Louis grand jury indicted Greitens on Thursday on one felony count of invasion of privacy. It accuses him of taking a compromising photo of a woman without her consent while they had an affair in March 2015, before he was elected governor.

Greitens has admitted to having an affair with his St. Louis hairdresser, but he denies committing a crime.

—

9:30 a.m.

The Republican Governors Association says Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens is stepping down from the group’s executive committee following his indictment stemming from an extramarital affair.

The association’s executive director, Paul Bennecke, said in a statement Friday that Greitens informed the group that he plans to spend the weekend in Missouri after he was indicted on a charge of felony invasion of privacy. That means he won’t attend the group’s meetings, which were being held during the National Governor’s Association meeting.

Prosecutors allege Greitens took a compromising photo of a woman without her consent during an affair in 2015, before he was elected. Greitens has admitted to the affair but says no crime was committed.

Bennecke’s statement said the Republican Governors Association looks “forward to a quick resolution of this issue.”

—

8:40 a.m.

The number of lawmakers demanding that Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens resign is growing following his indictment stemming from an extramarital affair.

Republican Sen. Caleb Rowden, of Columbia, said on Twitter that he was “disgusted to learn” a grand jury found sufficient evidence to indict the Republican governor on a charge of felony invasion of privacy.

Prosecutors allege Greitens took a compromising photo of a woman without her consent during an affair in 2015, before he was elected. Greitens has admitted to the affair but says no crime was committed.

Rowden says Greitens should step down for the “sake of our state.”

Republican Rep. Kevin Corlew, of Kansas City, said in a Facebook post that doesn’t believe Greitens can “effectively perform the duties of his office.”

—

7:40 a.m.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has canceled plans to attend an annual meeting of the nation’s governors following his indictment stemming from an extramarital affair.

A spokeswoman for the National Governors Association tells The St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Greitens has informed the organization he won’t be attending the group’s weekend meeting in Washington.

An indictment released Thursday charges the Republican governor with felony invasion of privacy. Prosecutors allege he took a compromising photo of a woman without her knowledge or consent during an affair in March 2015, before he was elected.

Greitens has admitted to having an affair. He says he made a mistake but “did not commit a crime.”

He was released on a personal recognizance bond Thursday that permits him to travel freely throughout the U.S.

—-

11:05 p.m.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens remains defiant, even amid calls for impeachment or resignation, after a St. Louis grand jury indicted him for felony invasion of privacy.

The indictment alleges the Republican took a compromising photo of a woman without her consent during an extramarital affair in March 2015, before he was elected.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced the indictment Thursday. The indictment follows an investigation that was launched in January, after Greitens admitted to an affair with his St. Louis hairdresser.

Greitens released a statement saying he made a mistake but “did not commit a crime.” He accused the Democratic prosecutor of playing politics.

Gardner’s spokeswoman says the facts will be argued in court, not in the media.