SCREENSHOT FROM THIS CLASSIC FILM — Governor Eric Greitens in happier times.
Governor Eric Greitens, who campaigned on a platform of family values and law and order (and machine guns, of course), was arrested Thursday afternoon and charged with felony invasion of privacy in an incident related to an extramarital affair he has admitted to that took place in 2015.
Naturally, there is one person to blame: George Soros.
That’s if you take the Missouri GOP at their word, anyway. This morning the group released a statement on Twitter pointing the blame squarely at the right’s favorite boogeyman.
“Kim Gardner has received more than $200,000 from George Soros groups,” the statement begins, attributing the quote to Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party Sam Cooper. “Missourians should see this for what it is, a political hit job.”
It goes on to assert that Gardner, St. Louis’ circuit attorney, is a “progressive anti-law enforcement Democrat” — kind of an odd thing to call a, um, prosecutor, but OK — who wants to “single-handedly oust a law-and-order governor.” Cooper pledges that a bipartisan committee will find out “what’s really going on” and ensure that “St. Louis liberals aren’t controlling the future of our state.”
Here’s our full statement on the recent news re: Governor Greitens ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QlsRmlgEiv — Missouri GOP (@MissouriGOP) February 23, 2018
It, uh, didn’t go so well. At the time of this writing, the tweet’s ratio — the number of comments versus the number of likes and retweets, often used as an unofficial measure by which to determine whether a tweet was an altogether poor idea — sits at a staggering 1,000 to 172, making for a certified, capital “B” Bad tweet.
Those comments are just about universally negative as well, with Twitter users simply not having it:
Just here to contribute to the Ratio. If it hits 300 to 1, Soros gives us all a free candy bar. — •[boomboom_flust.png]•° (@OhNoItsBoomer) February 23, 2018
George Soros didn’t tie a woman to a piece of exercise equipment and then blackmail her with photos, you weirdos. That was Eric Greitens. There’s no excuse. Get yourselves together and stop defending a guy who disgraced our state. — Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) February 23, 2018
pic.twitter.com/2f5R6zb45P — Nathaniel William Horadam (@NW_Horadam) February 23, 2018
The party of personal responsibility strikes again. — Dr. Pete Meyers (@dr_pete) February 23, 2018
Hi. I love your parody account. — Emperor Bob (@wdwvacationdad) February 23, 2018
pic.twitter.com/lV1ArhTK8C — Survivor of the Great Bot Purge (@bdragon74) February 23, 2018
This tweet might set a record for worst ratio. — Dr. Pete Meyers (@dr_pete) February 23, 2018
How much money did Soros pay the grand jury that indicted Greitans? Uh, hello? Hello? — Genevieve Mullins (@VoxGenevieve) February 23, 2018
Really, this is the swing you want to take as you go down? You forgot to blame Obama too, amateurs. — Scott Smith (@Sir_Lanzolot) February 23, 2018
Endorsing conspiracy theories is a shit defense for unethical and unlawful behavior. And fuck you for scapegoating culturally and socially progressive communities. — Jonah Kue (@jonahkue) February 23, 2018
all y’all should get cancer — assbutt (@assbuttOG) February 23, 2018
Granted, assbuttOG may have gone too far with his tweet. But the point is, people are angry.
Greitens, for his part, responded to his indictment by calling Gardner a “reckless liberal prosecutor who uses her office to score political points,” which runs pretty much in tandem with the official party line. (Granted Greitens didn’t mention Soros by name, but that’s because he’s subtext for the word “liberal.” Gotta read between the lines here.)
It remains unclear what the future may hold for our embattled governor — and how exactly he is going to use automatic weapons to shoot his way out of this mess — but it’s safe to say the “St. Louis liberals” seeking to control the future of Missouri will be enthusiastically sipping tea throughout the proceedings.
