Alabama’s anti-gay marriage governor ‘facing impeachment’ after phonesex affair with aide
The anti-gay marriage Governor of Alabama is facing potential impeachment – after he was caught having phonesex with an aide.
Sensational allegations arose last month that Republican Governor Robert Bentley, a militant believer in ‘traditional’ marriage, had cheated on his wife of 50 years with chief adviser Rebekah Caldwell Mason.
After Bentley flatly denied any such affair, a recording was published in local media in which Governor Bentley appears to be having phonesex.
In the recording, a still-married Governor Bentley talks in an erotic manner about how he wishes to fondle Ms Mason’s breasts, as well as appearing to profess his love for her.
The Governor previously referred to gay marriage as “social experiment”, claiming it “destroys the rights of children to be connected to their biological parents”.
He also insisted he has “always believed in the Biblical definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman”, which has “been deeply rooted in our society for thousands of years”.
Bentley continues to deny any physical affair, but in the wake of the affair he is now facing calls for his impeachment from a bi-partisan group of lawmakers over his alleged misuse of state funds..
Republican lawmaker Ed Henry said that he would file a resolution calling for the impeachment of the Governor.
He said: “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.”
Mike Ball, chairman of the Alabama House Ethics Committee, said: “There is a crisis of confidence… and it needs to be resolved.”
However, the Governor hit back.
He said: “There are no grounds for impeachment, and I will vigorously defend myself and my administration from this political attack.
“Today’s press conference is nothing more than 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.”
Rachel Maddow recently tore into the Governor on her MSNBC show.
She said: “This isn’t just a personal story. Governor Bentley ran for this office that he holds on the grounds that he was a family values candidate… a God fearing family man—whose campaign ads featured him talking about the Bible while posing with his wife and all of his grandkids.
“He ran as a man who so believes in the sanctity of traditional marriage that he would fight same-sex marriage with every fiber of his being.
“His administration filed a Supreme Court brief that said marriages between same-sex couples should not even be thought of as marriages, they should be seen as social experiments.”
She continued: “Nobody’s love life is a political matter. Unless you as a politician make your love life and your personal life a political matter.
“He has been a crusading family values politician who has campaigned on the superior morality of his own marriage, his own family and his own family values, and how he’s going to save Alabama from other people’s terrible, immoral family choices because his values and his family are superior.”
