Bentley Impeachment Probe Underway
A committee of lawmakers opened impeachment hearings against Governor Robert Bentley today, beginning a probe on whether there are grounds to remove the two-term Republican from office.
“When you’re looking at impeaching a governor, a sitting governor, I don’t think we should take it lightly,” says House Judiciary Committee Chairman Mike Jones regarding the difficulty of the task at hand. “And so, when working and getting ready for these rules and procedures, we didn’t take it lightly. We did a great deal of work and preparation to prepare the members of the committee to adopt rules.”
The process is a lengthy, Jones says, and this is not sitting well with other state officials.
“You’ve heard of a ‘slow boat to China?’ Well, this impeachment process is a ‘slow boat on the Alabama River,” says State Auditor Jim Zeigler, a leading critic of Bentley. “The Mike Hubbard investigation and legal proceedings took three years. If the Bentley investigation takes that long, his term could be over. This is not acceptable. Justice delayed is justice denied,” Zeigler says.
Earlier this spring, 23 representatives signed impeachment article accusing Bentley of corruption and neglect of duty. The articles were filed after Bentley admitted making inappropriate sexual remarks to a former top advisor.
The committee will make a recommendation to the full House on whether impeachment grounds exist.
The impeachment hearings come in a season of political upheaval for GOP office holders.
Mike Hubbard was removed as House speaker after being convicted of ethics violations. Chief Justice Roy Moore faces possible removal after being accused of violating judicial ethics.
Light from satellites will ruin majority of some space telescope images, study says
Astronomers have long been concerned about reflections from satellites showing up in images taken by telescopes and other scientific instruments.
Defense Department is reviewing boat strike video for possible release, Hegseth says
In a speech on Saturday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the strikes, saying: "President Trump can and will take decisive military action as he sees fit to defend our nation's interests."
Bama, Miami in, Notre Dame out and Indiana No. 1 in College Football Playoff rankings
Nobody paying attention for the past 24 months would be surprised to see Indiana – yes, Indiana – leading the way into this year's College Football Playoff.
McLaren’s Lando Norris wins first F1 title at season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Red Bull driver and defending champion Max Verstappen won the race with Norris placing third, which allowed Norris to finish two points ahead of Verstappen in the season-long standings.
A ban on feeding pigeons ruffles lots of feathers in Mumbai
The pigeon population has exploded — a result of people feeding the birds. For some it's a holy duty and a way to connect to nature. Critics point to health risks tied to exposure to pigeon droppings.
UN humanitarian chief: world needs to ‘wake up’ and help stop violence in Sudan
The UN's top humanitarian and emergency relief official has told NPR that the lack of attention from world leaders to the war in Sudan is the "billion dollar question".
