Alabama: How not to Poin

Man, you should read some of the shit coming out of this one. It's been going on for a while now, but he just fired the state's law enforcement agency director, who threw more gas on the fire. Less than 24 hours later, secret recordings made by his wife at the governor's mansion and a second home were released.

It really needs it's own thread.

 

On Tuesday, Governor Robert Bentley fired his one-time close friend Sean Collier from his job as chief of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency after an internal investigation revealed the possible misuse of funds by Collier's agency. Then, in a seeming retaliation, Collier released a recording of Bentley making inappropriate comments to a woman who worked for him, senior political adviser Rebekah Mason. Bentley has now admitted to his behavior and apologized for it, but insists he did not carry on a physical affair with Mason.

With friends like these ...

 

There might already be a thread on his guy... I'm too lazy to look it up.

 

Hammer time:

Josh Moon: Alabama does not deserve better than Robert Bentley

The people of this state do not deserve better. The people of this state are getting exactly what they deserve, because the people of this state have, time and again, ignored reasonable, smart candidates – both Republican and Democratic – to vote for pandering, ignorant Neanderthals who profess loudly their morally superior character and promise wholly unconstitutional and un-American intentions.

The people of this state have elected men and women who ignorantly turn down billions of dollars in health care for the poorest citizens, who routinely set up deals that provide tax riches to those who need it least at the expense of those who need it most, and who have thumbed their noses at the idea of a separation of church and state – unless that church is non-Christian, of course.

 

And where has that all gotten us?

You have a family values governor who has the worst phone sex tape ever recorded and is on the verge of being forced out of office.

The Speaker of the House is indicted on 23 felony counts, and while a court decision awaits, it would seem impossible that he can avoid a guilty verdict on at least two of those charges.

The state’s attorney general’s office is in shambles, having fired people left and right over the last two years because they tried to secretly aid the Speaker in his defense and the tactics of the prosecutor in the case have come under serious question.

The state’s supreme court is a joke, with a chief justice who routinely seeks to violate the U.S. Constitution and another justice who gave a radio interview about a case the court was considering.

Another Republican lawmaker was caught up in the Speaker’s shenanigans, pleaded guilty and resigned.

The state’s budget is so screwed up by a tax structure that takes more from some of the lesser earners than it does from the top earners that we needed two expensive special sessions during the last legislative cycle to create an awful budget, and another special session is looming this year.

The state’s Public Service Commission is actively serving the businesses it should be regulating instead of the public it should be serving.

 

Sucks to be you, Alabama.

 

Read that a couple of days ago. Great takedown, although the voters in my home state don't care. They'll keep doing the same things, over and over.

The money line for me was:

"This is what the morally superior, Christian conservative vote has brought to this state."

 

I've heard that from other Bammies, too.
Meanwhile, their state is a wreck, and they think Trump is God.

Roll Tide.

 

Tell me about it. The Gov's paramour, Rebekah Caldwell Mason, is his chief of staff, and basically the de facto governor, making many policy decisions and controlling access to him. For instance, if you remember the stink about Alabama driver's license offices being closed and the effect on poor people not being able to get ID's to vote, she picked the offices to close. Several state parks were also closed due to the budget. She picked them.

She is not on the state payroll, and as a result does not have to fill out ethics forms listing her clients, income, and any conflicts of interest. She was an aide for a time, then left and formed a political consulting company with a sole employee, her, which was paid $483k by the Bentley campaign. She is now paid by a 501c3 Dark Money PAC. No one really knows where the money Rebekah Mason is paid comes from, and that won't be disclosed unless subpoenaed. Her husband, former local TV weatherman Jon Mason, also collects a $91,400 state paycheck, serving as executive director of the governor's Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, also known as Serve Alabama. No one really knows who the money for the PAC comes from, although the rumor is that Paul Bryant, Jr. and Alabama Power supply most of it. The Masons have collected nearly a million dollars from the state in the last four years or so.

The thing is that while the sex scandal is the sizzle, the meat of the issue is that the Governor is trying to protect the Speaker Pro Tem of the House. Mike Hubbard is facing 23 felony indictments for bribery and influence peddling. Part of what caused the whistle blower to take this public is that he was first put on medical leave and then fired for signing an affidavit for the State Attorney General regarding the case. Two days after he was let go several investigations were shut down by his successor. It's straight up witness tampering by the governor. There are several associated things, notably that they are trying to make the State Auditor position appointed by the Governor in stead of elective, which is an invitation to all kinds of mischief.

More details on some of this here: Robert Bentley's scandal isn't about sex; it's about Mike Hubbard

I can't resist pointing out that Hubbard's attorney is Joe Espy, well known political fixer in the state and a member of the University of Alabama Board of Trustees. As some of you will remember, during the UAB football shutdown I was trying to get across what a powerful and influential body the UA BoT is. From the link above: "Espy serves on the University of Alabama Board of Trustees. The UA general counsel, Cooper Shattuck, helped set up the Alabama Council for Excellent Government, the governor's 501(c)4 dark money group that has been rumored to be Mason's true employer. Mason is not a state employee and has not filed a disclosure with the Alabama Ethics Commission in several years."

 

What a great column. If ever you fear your state is a disaster and an embarrassment, you can always look to Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana for solace. They never disappoint.

 

Ah, yes, the State Mantra of Alabama: "Thank God for Mississippi."

At this point I think Mississippi is actually doing better. Louisiana, on the other hand, makes even Alabama look somewhat sensible.

 

That also used to be the state motto of Arkansas, but you haven't heard any banana republic stuff out of there since Ken Starr left.