Collier said he informed Bentley during that trip that an affair with Mason could easily violate the law should he provide her state resources, or even use state resources to carry out the affair or cover it up.
Advertisement
Bentley, in a Wednesday afternoon news conference, said the mistake was an inappropriate comment to a female staffer. The full recording from Yellowhammer can be heard in the video player above.
Bentley and his wife Dianne divorced previous year after the two agreed that their marriage was irreconcilable.
In the statement, Bentley called Collier a friend and praised him for his work overseeing the consolidated law enforcement functions of state government.
Bentley “hung his head” when confronted with the accusations of the affair, and said he needed a way out of the relationship and asked Collier for advice. And he was former as of this week, because Bentley fired him yesterday. Diane Bentley allegedly made the tape while she and the governor were at their beach house.
“Well, first let me say I have stated that I have not had a physical relationship with Ms. Mason”, he said.
“I’m apologizing for the things that I’ve said”, Bentley said.
Collier said Wednesday that he had done nothing wrong.
In a follow-up email with CNN, Mason stood by the governor’s comments on the recordings, saying everyone has moved on.
In August 2014, Stan Stabler, who was on Bentley’s security team, inadvertently saw a text message from Rebekah Mason that was sexual in nature, Collier said.
The new head of Alabama’s law enforcement agency (the guy Collier claims saw the text message of a “sexual nature”) began investigating possible wrongdoing at the agency under Collier’s watch. On Wednesday, March 23, Bentley admitted to making sexual remarks to a staffer, but denied having a physical relationship with her.
The accusations came after Collier was sacked Tuesday for “a number of issues”, including the possible misuse of state funds, the governor’s office said in a statement.
Then in February, Collier said, the ALEA began investigating allegations of improper conduct involving the attorney general’s office.
“I told Governor Bentley that I loved him like a father and there was nothing I wouldn’t do for him except like to a Grand Jury…”
Bentley apologized to his family, Mason and her family and the people of Alabama in a press conference. “It is an honor to serve our Governor and the people of our state”.
Advertisement
It’s unclear if the attorney general’s office will investigate the governor. Bentley said he previously apologized to his family and the family of the aide, Rebekah Caldwell Mason. You can see the settlement from their divorce here.
