Former Gov. Eric Greitens delivers the keynote deal with on the St. Louis Space Police Chiefs Affiliation twenty seventh Annual Police Officer Memorial Prayer Breakfast on April 25, 2018, on the St. Charles Conference Heart.
Laurie Skrivan | St. Louis Publish-Dispatch | Tribune Information Provider | Getty Pictures
Eric Greitens, the embattled former Missouri governor-turned-GOP Senate candidate, launched a marketing campaign advert Monday through which he and a gaggle of armed males in tactical equipment are at the hunt for “RINOs” – Republicans in title handiest.
“We are going RINO looking,” a shotgun-toting Greitens, with a handgun holstered at his aspect, says earlier than bursting right into a area with the lads in tactical equipment, certainly one of whom throws what seems to be a flash-bang grenade.
“Get a RINO looking allow. There is no bagging restrict, no tagging restrict and it does not expire till we save our nation,” he says on the finish of the video, which inspires donors to pay $25 for a “RINO looking” sticky label.
Previous within the video, Greitens, who resigned as Missouri governor in 2018 amid a sexual misconduct scandal and a marketing campaign finance criminal rate that was once later dropped, says “the RINO feeds on corruption and is marked by way of the stripes of cowardice.”
David Lapan, a retired Marine colonel and previous Division of Protection and Place of origin Safety spokesman, tweeted that Greitens, a former Military SEAL, “has dishonored himself, his oath, and the Military. This transparent name for violence in opposition to his political fighters, the usage of army pictures, is wicked & bad.”
“He’s undeserving for elected place of work & must be held responsible,” Lapan mentioned.
The Missouri Democratic Birthday celebration tweeted that the advert was once “Disgusting. However no longer sudden.” It mentioned it was once some other instance of “violence, irresponsibility and reckless habits from Greitens.”
In March, Greitens’ ex-wife alleged in courtroom paperwork that the candidate had abused her and their younger son whilst they have been married, together with knocking her down and confiscating her mobile phone.
Greitens known as the allegations “fabricated” and “baseless.”
His number one foes and different most sensible Republicans within the state known as for him to drop out after the allegations changed into public.
“In case you hit a lady or a kid, you belong in handcuffs, no longer the US Senate. It is time for Eric Greitens to depart this race,” Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., tweeted on the time.
Greitens unnoticed the ones calls and has courted the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
In a observation previous this month, Greitens known as Trump’s endorsement “the one, maximum robust asset within the historical past of politics.”
“Those status quo RINOs must forestall seeking to downplay President Trump’s immense affect and, as a substitute, paintings with him to advance the The usa First schedule,” he mentioned.
Trump has no longer made an endorsement within the race, despite the fact that he has praised Greitens’ opponent, Rep. Billy Lengthy, R-Mo.
Greitens used a equivalent slogan all the way through his 2016 run for governor, when his marketing campaign was once promoting “ISIS looking” allow stickers, relating to the Islamic State terrorist workforce.
