Grand Jury Investigating Missouri Governor Greitens

ST. LOUIS, MO — A grand jury in St. Louis is investigating Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens' 2015 affair with his hairdresser and claims that he illicitly photographed the woman and attempted to blackmail her into keeping their relationship quiet.

Greitens admitted to the affair after television station KMOV News 4 obtained an audio recording of the woman describing a sexual encounter with the governor. The report alleged Greitens blindfolded the woman and bound her with tape, then took a partially nude photo of her and threatened to release it.

The woman said she allowed Greitens to put her into a compromising position, but the encounter quickly turned non-consensual. "He stepped back, I saw a flash through the blindfold, and he said, 'You're never going to mention my name,' otherwise there's pictures of me everywhere," the woman says in the recording made by her then husband. As she describes what happened, she sounds as if she's crying.

At the time, Greitens was already exploring a run for state office, and he allegedly told the woman at least one other time that he couldn't be seen with her.

A lawyer for Greitens downplayed the investigation, calling the affair "a private issue of no legal or public interest." Greitens has denied trying to blackmail the woman, but has not said whether or not he took photos of her.

The grand jury has subpoenaed the woman's ex-husband. Attorney Al Watkins declined to say whether his client would testify, but said the move "means a grand jury is seated and is hearing evidence about the investigation against Gov. Greitens."

Several lawmakers, including Republicans, have called on the governor to resign. He has said he has no intention of doing so.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photo: Gov. Eric Greitens and his wife, Sheena, in 2011. (Larry Busacca/Entertainment/Getty Images)