Alabama Legislator to Start Impeachment Process Against Governor Bentley
An Alabama legislator says he’ll introduce articles of impeachment against Governor Robert Bentley.
Flanked by other lawmakers, Republican Representative Ed Henry of Hartselle announced his plan at a press conference Tuesday afternoon in Madison. Henry says the recent scandal involving Bentley and his former top adviser Rebekah Caldwell Mason have tarnished the governor’s reputation as a trustworthy leader.
“We’re looking at this governor who has essentially betrayed the trust of the people of Alabama through actions and lies that have caused us to have some doubt about his leadership,” Henry told the crowd.
Joining Henry onstage were Ethics Committee Chairman Mike Ball (R-Madison County), House Rural Caucus Chairman David Standridge (R-Hayden) and House Minority Leader Craig Ford (D-Gadsden).
Ford, who called for Bentley’s resignation almost immediately after the allegations came to light, commended Henry for his work, adding, “This is not about Democrats and Republicans. This is about right and wrong.”
Bentley has admitted that he made inappropriate remarks to the former aide, Rebekah Caldwell Mason. However, Bentley denies suggestions that the two had an affair or that he’s done anything illegal. Mason resigned last week.
“It’s a sad day that we have to initiate this process,” said Ethics Committee Chairman Mike Ball. “This begins a lot of discussion about how this unfortunate set of circumstances has affected us all. It’s certainly not a glad time for anybody.”
“We’ve never done this before. We’ve never tried to impeach a governor,” says Henry. “It’s going to be a process, but the process starts today.”
Henry acknowledged lawmakers would have a lot to figure out if impeachment proceedings go forward. Alabama hasn’t moved to impeach a governor since 1915, and the state’s constitution isn’t clear about the process.
In a statement today, Governor Bentley calls the effort to impeach him “political grandstanding intended to grab headlines and take the focus away from the important issues the Legislature still has to address before the end of the session.”
Bentley says he will vigorously defend himself, and denied that there were grounds for impeachment.
“For five years, I have faithfully served the people of Alabama. We have made great progress streamlining the way state government operates and have saved taxpayers more than $1 billion annually,” says Bentley’s statement.
But on Monday, Bentley was “humbly” asking Alabamians and God for their forgiveness.”I’ve asked God to forgive me because that’s the most important thing,” Bentley told reporters after a tour of Limestone Correctional facility. The governor said he had to “own” the problem and that he has made no excuses for his behavior.
Representative Henry is unmoved. “I’m thankful that the governor has reconciled his actions with our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope the best for him,” said Henry Tuesday afternoon. “But, as always, our actions, while we may in a spiritual sense find forgiveness, they still have consequences.”
Esther Ciammachilli contributed to this report.
Israel and Hamas agree on the ‘first phase’ of Gaza ceasefire deal
The deal raises the possibility that the war may now be over, ending the bloodiest fighting ever between Israelis and Palestinians.
‘Fairyland’ recalls a girl’s life with her poet father in pre-AIDS San Francisco
Alysia Abbott's memoir about growing up in 1970s San Francisco with her gay, single father, has been adapted into a film directed by Andrew Durham and produced by Sofia Coppola.
Los Angeles: Spaghetti Cumbia, a band born from cultural fusion
Photographers and storytellers Karla Gachet and Ivan Kashinsky document cumbia music in Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina and the United States.
What are your holiday shopping plans? NPR wants to hear from you
Is this the season of cutbacks or splurges? As we prepare to cover holiday shopping and deals, NPR wants to hear from you, whatever your plans may be.
Laufey was an ‘odd fish’ in native Iceland. Now she’s a jazz-pop star
The Grammy Award-winning singer and musician had rigorous classical training. Now she's making music that crosses genres: "I've been inspired by Golden Age films, the va-va-voom of it all," she says.
What does Montreal sound like?
World Cafe is kicking off its latest Sense of Place series with a playlist that offers a glimpse of Montreal's lively music scene.