(ANTIMEDIA) Alabama Governor Robert Bentley was booked at Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Monday afternoon on two misdemeanor charges. Although last week the Alabama Ethics Commission found reason to believe he had committed four felonies, Bentley has only been charged with “failure to disclose information on [a] statement of economic interest” and “failure to file campaign finance reports.”
Bentley has resigned from his position as governor and has been replaced by lieutenant governor Kay Ivey, Alabama’s 54th governor and second female governor.
The now-former state leader has been embroiled in a year-long scandal that revolves around Bentley having sordid relations with Rebekah Mason, who was employed in the governor’s office as a senior political advisor. Mason was referred to internally as “Flim-Flam.”
Impeachment proceedings have been looming over his head over accusations he abused his power and used state resources to cover-up the illicit affair. He allegedly threatened staffers, fired the state’s top law enforcement official, and used official vehicles to shuttle Mason around.
As part of a deal cut with Bentley’s attorneys, the state attorney general’s office will not pursue further charges. According to AL.com, the terms of the deal require him to:
- Resign immediately and leave public life.
- Plead guilty to two campaign violations: converting campaign contributions for personal gain and failing to report campaign contributions.
- Serve two years of probation.
- Perform 100 hours of unpaid community service as a physician.
- Repay the $8,912 his campaign spent on the legal fees of former aide Rebekah Mason, whose involvement with Bentley led to the charges against him.
- Forfeit all the money in his campaign account, which is currently a little more than $25,000.
Gov. Robert Bentley has been charged with two “failure to disclose” misdemeanors. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/3ZZwbGDBF3
— AL.com (@aldotcom) April 10, 2017
80 hours after he said he wouldn’t resign, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley steps down after plea agreement on charges with state prosecutors
— Kent Faulk (@krfaulk) April 10, 2017
Bentley sentenced to 30 days jail concurrent (suspended) 12 mos unsupervised probation #alpolitics
— Howard Koplowitz (@HowardKoplowitz) April 10, 2017
On a side note, yes, he really does look that much like Mr. Burns.
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