Newspaper accuses GOP governor on trial in adultery case of resigning from Navy SEALs in 2015 to avoid court martial

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch pieced together the recent timeline of Missouri Republican Governor Eric Greitens and found a fascinating correlation between the timing of his extramarital affair and his decision to leave the United States Navy.

Gov. Greitens, a former Navy SEAL, is currently standing trial for felony invasion of privacy in connection with the affair.

The newspaper noted that in February 2015, Greitens signed a four-year commitment to the Navy to return to active duty status, but backed out only two months later, resulting in "a significant loss in pay and benefits."

On March 21, 2015, prosecutors allege Greitens took a nonconsensual photo of his mistress while she was bound, blindfolded and partly undressed.

Less than a month later, Greitens told officials, "I cannot meet the administrative and operational demands of the Selected Reserve given my current personal and professional obligations."

The Post-Dispatch noted that Greitens risked a court-martial under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice if he had returned to active duty while continuing his extramarital affair.

Spokespeople from Greitens' governmental, political and legal staffs all failed to reply to the newspaper's requests for comments.