Bentley Scandal: In Pursuit of Wanda’s Desk

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1200;s:6:"height";i:600;s:4:"file";s:49:"2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:12:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-336x168.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:168;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-771x386.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:386;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-768x384.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:384;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:47:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-622x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:622;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-470x235.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:235;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:49:"bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => al.com
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:368954;s:14:"optimized_size";i:238522;s:7:"percent";d:35.350000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:77:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:144663;s:14:"optimized_size";i:82196;s:7:"percent";d:43.18;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:85:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-336x168.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:19750;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14670;s:7:"percent";d:25.719999999999999;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:85:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-771x386.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:70386;s:14:"optimized_size";i:46111;s:7:"percent";d:34.490000000000002;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:85:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:51018;s:14:"optimized_size";i:33696;s:7:"percent";d:33.950000000000003;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:98:"Unknown error occurred (100 - Operation timed out after 45001 milliseconds with 0 bytes received) ";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:85:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-622x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:50361;s:14:"optimized_size";i:37281;s:7:"percent";d:25.969999999999999;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:85:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/05/bentleythenandnowjpg-f65da7835754b2aa-470x235.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:32776;s:14:"optimized_size";i:24568;s:7:"percent";d:25.039999999999999;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1675741435 
1462437781

The 2016 legislative session came to a close last night, but much of the action of the last few months was overshadowed by the ongoing scandal involving Governor Robert Bentley and his alleged affair with a former adviser, Rebekah Mason. Bentley has admitted making inappropriate comments to Mason, but continues to deny the two had a physical affair. Republican Rep. Ed Henry, of Hartselle, is spearheading an effort to impeach the governor.

Recordings leaked to the press capture Bentley allegedly having a sexually charged conversation with Mason, saying “if were going to do what we did the other day” they’d need to move Wanda’s desk. Wanda Kelly was Governor Bentley’s executive assistant, who has since retired.

This week, Rep. Ed Henry and Red Bay Democratic Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow tried to get inside the governor’s office and find Wanda’s infamous deskJohn Archibald, columnist for al.com and The Birmingham News, was there, and he tells WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley what happened.

 

 

Mariah Carey, coffee makers and other highlights from the Olympic opening ceremony

NPR reporters at the Milan opening ceremony layered up and took notes.

Trump’s harsh immigration tactics are taking a political hit

President Trump's popularity on one of his political strengths is in jeopardy.

A drop in CDC health alerts leaves doctors ‘flying blind’

Doctors and public health officials are concerned about the drop in health alerts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since President Trump returned for a second term.

Photos: Highlights from the Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Athletes from around the world attended the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Milan.

Alabama sets execution for man in auto parts store customer’s death

Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday set a March 12 execution using nitrogen gas for Charles “Sonny” Burton. Burton was convicted as an accomplice in the shooting death of Doug Battle, a customer who was killed during an 1991 robbery of an auto parts store in Talladega.

Trump posts racist meme of the Obamas — then deletes it

Trump's racist post came at the end of a minute-long video promoting conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. 

More Front Page Coverage