Friday, November 25, 2016

Talk about "fearless leadership": New lawsuit reveals "Luv Guv" Robert Bentley was afraid to break up with his mistress, so he asked security chief to do it for him


Robert Bentley and Rebekah Mason
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley asked a security chief for help breaking up with "First Mistress" Rebekah Caldwell Mason -- and it looked like the plan was going to work until Bentley walked in the room and undid all the progress the security guy had made. Thus, the extramarital relationship between Bentley and Mason continued -- and it was, in fact, a physical affair, as any sentient being should have been able to tell from news reports over the past 15 months or so. At one point, Mason made a special request to have a couch placed in her office. Hmmm, wonder why she was in need of a couch?

Those are perhaps the most laughably insightful moments from a wrongful-termination lawsuit former security director Wendell Ray Lewis filed this week. The suit is filled with sordid and buffoonish moments from the Bentley/Mason soap opera, but it really is not funny. It probably leaves a reasonable reader asking, "This guy talks tough about immigration and 'bloodthirsty Mexicans,' but he doesn't have the courage to break up with his girlfriend? That's the kind of 'fearless leadership' Alabama's had for six years? This guy is like a 10-year-old boy staring in amazement at his morning erection. Good grief!"

Good grief, indeed. But when you consider how much state property and funds apparently were used to facilitate the Bentley/Mason affair . . . well, the laughter starts to die down in a hurry. From Chip Brownlee's report at Alabama Political Reporter (APR):

The lawsuit . . . lays out . . . Lewis’ final year as the Governor’s top body guard and the affair he says he witnessed. In the 50-page brief, Lewis and his attorneys summarize sordid details of Bentley’s alleged relationship with Mason.

Their affair — which the Governor now claims is over — dated back to at least spring 2014, when Lewis said he first learned of the possibility that the Governor could be involved with Mason, according to the lawsuit. Lewis said Paul Bentley, the Governor’s son, told him that they suspected an affair in May 2014.

Lewis — who headed the Governor’s security detail, traveled everywhere with him and had an office in the capitol across the hall from the Governor — said he observed Mason entering the Governor’s office for hours on end in private, alone with the Governor.

“[Lewis] could see anyone coming or going, and could take note of how long someone had been in the Governor’s office,” the lawsuit says. “There were times when [Lewis] would observe Rebekah Mason coming out of the Governor’s office, with her hair all messed up, and straightening up her skirt as she emerged from the Governor’s office, after having been in there for hours.

Bentley has tried to convince the public that his relationship with Mason went no further than "inappropriate remarks" -- "dirty talk," if you will, as caught on an audio recording that became public in March of this year. Even the press largely has fallen for it, calling it an "alleged affair" or a case of Bentley making "inappropriate statements." The press conveniently forgot that key statements involved Bentley's fond reminisces of fondling Mason's breasts and exploring her nether regions.

That, folks, is a physical affair -- straight from the governor's own mouth -- by any definition I'm aware of. But if that doesn't work for some folks, we now have Lewis' word for it. And we learn that Bentley's former wife of 50 years, Dianne, and at least one of his sons, played a major role in breaking the story wide open. From Lewis' complaint:

Three days later on May 7, 2014, after Lewis first learned of the affair from Bentley’s son, Lewis was summoned to Bentley’s office on Capitol Hill, according to the suit. He went in and found the Governor, accompanied by Mason, crying:

“Lewis asked, ‘Governor, what is going on?’ Bentley replied, ‘Dianne has accused me of having an affair, and she has a recording.’ He added that his wife, Dianne, had a recording, but had given it to his son (Paul). The Governor asked Lewis to go talk to Paul. Lewis inquired, ‘What do you want me to do?’ The Governor replied, ‘Find out if he has a recording.’ He sent Mason out of the office, and she went up to the Lt. Governor’s conference room.

"Bentley then replied, ‘Ray, I am embarrassed for you to hear what’s on that recording. It’s between Rebekah and I. I am ashamed of what came out of my mouth.’ Lewis inquired, ‘Governor, are you telling me that this is true?’ ‘Yes,’ replied the Governor, ‘I am ashamed of what I have done.’"

Following is a section from the lawsuit that indicates Alabama has been led by a dysfunctional doofus:

After finding out about the relationship, Lewis says, he began pleading with the governor to end it because he was afraid Bentley could get into trouble for using state vehicles and planes to facilitate the affair. When Lewis confronted the Governor, Bentley asked Lewis to “break-up with Rebekah” for him, according to the lawsuit.

In Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey’s conference room, Lewis attempted to end the affair for Bentley for over an hour. Lewis thought he was successful ending the affair, with both Bentley and Mason agreeing it should end. Nevertheless, Bentley came in and began “rubbing and massaging Mason’s shoulders, stroking her hair and saying, “Baby, it’s gonna be alright,” the lawsuit says.

But it wasn’t over, the lawsuit alleges. For the next year, until Lewis retired in early 2015, Bentley and Mason continued their affair despite Lewis’s repeated attempts to convince them both to quit seeing each other.

Here is a key section from the Lewis complaint:

Lewis and the Governor were sitting in Lewis' truck, at the airport about to get on a plane. Lewis asked the Governor, "Governor, there's a lot of talk going on. Was it a physical relationship? After initially hemming and hawing, the Governor replied, reluctantly but clearly, "Yeah, it was physical."

To what extent did Bentley abuse the use of state funds and property to facilitate and cover up the affair? Lewis' complaint provides insight:

* Mason would visit the Governor at the Governor’s Mansion while Dianne Bentley was away. But after finding out that Ms. Bentley had knowledge of Mason’s name on visitor logs, Mason and Bentley began meeting at the Blount House, which kept no logs.

* Bentley leased planes for his campaign because private planes didn’t have to keep manifests. On the planes, “Mason would sit across from the Governor and discreetly touch his leg.”

* Bentley would regularly have Lewis pick Mason up in a state car or on the state helicopter. They would even swap Mason for Jennifer Ardis, Bentley’s former director of communications, on the manifests so that Mason would go undetected.

* The Governor met, on at least one occasion, with Mason at a private lake house with no security present.

* Bentley would routinely carry three cell phones, his State phone, his personal phone and a third phone, which Lewis says Bentley used to communicate with Mason. He also had separate email accounts. 
* Based on Lewis' complaint, Bentley might be in trouble well beyond his official capacity as governor.

The lawsuit provides evidence that Bentley abused his privileges as a licensed physician:

Bentley, a licensed physician, wrote a drug prescription for Mason. And, on at least one occasion, according to the lawsuit, Bentley ordered Viagra in Ms. Bentley’s name, and had it shipped to the Governor’s Mansion.

Writing a prescription for someone who likely is not your patient? Fraudulently writing a prescription in someone else's name? Are these the kinds of acts that can cause a doctor to lose his license? The answer likely is yes.

Below is the full Lewis lawsuit:




20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just when I think Bentley can't look any worse, a new lawsuit comes out to prove me wrong.

Anonymous said...

If Bentley had any class at all, he would resign to save the state from further embarrassment.

Anonymous said...

This entire Bentley affair is disgusting.

It is must be karma that the old horndog luvguv is forced to pay top dollar per hour to his attorneys to discuss with him all the sordid details and allegations. Just imagine the possible discussion surrounding the magic penis pills allegations:

Why do we need to talk about the little blue pills?

We know what viagra does but what does that have to do with this scandal?

So the little blue pills weren't intended to fix the 50 year marriage?

There was an error of some and the prescription was written in the name of your ex wife?!

The prescription wasn't filled...was it?

So you are telling me that we should try to claim that Kay was taking the Viagra and that led to the divorce?! That requires extensive research at the usual rate...

What about this Ashley Madison? What are the chances that Legal Schnauzer blog will guess the alias and the billing address you used?

Wait a minute?! You are wondering how to shut that blog down if he finds your Grindr accounts? You used her name on those too?!

Your dic pics and your ex wife's name?!

Who is this John guy in the dic pics?


Anonymous said...

"11. O'Connor, a power political operative and former head of the BCA, met with Lewis and said "We created Rebekah, but it wasn't to sleep with the Governor.""

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/11/gov_bentleys_former_security_c.html

legalschnauzer said...

Glad you pointed out that portion of the lawsuit, @1:04. The obvious question: If the BCA and Lewis combined to "create" Rebekah -- and it wasn't to sleep with the governor -- what was it for? Did the BCA help fund her to play footsy with the gov and help push BCA's agenda? Looks like she went beyond footsy.

legalschnauzer said...

@12:35 -- I have no idea what most of your comment is about. I can say that Viagra is an issue in the reporting because it's an issue in the lawsuit. You lost me with everything else in your comment. Don't even know who you are referring to, and I have no idea where Ashley Madison comes from. I see no evidence that it is a part of the Bentley/Mason story.

Anonymous said...

1:04 -- I take that comment to mean that BCA helped fund Rebekah via ACEGOV. Sounds like they worked with Cooper Shattuck on that one.

legalschnauzer said...

That's my take, too, @3:10. If you read the lawsuit, there are references to Shattuck, "universities," and individuals associated with universities. That tells me Shattuck and other individuals at U of Alabama might be in civil doo-doo on this one.

Anonymous said...

No such thing as generic viagra. It must have been Revatio (low dosage viagra) and took multiple pills.

Anonymous said...

Fondled Garrison's breasts? Who? Nice accurate reporting there.

Anonymous said...

Just like a Shamwow. Buy something and it's all free!

Mason is listed as being on at least one flight paid by taxpayers, according to the online flight logs. Before she was his campaign spokeswoman, Mason was director of communications in the governor’s office.

“When the Governor’s Communications Office is short-staffed, I volunteer at no cost to the taxpayers, and the law allows for that,” Mason said of why she was on the flight.


Gov. Bentley picks up pace of in-state flights By Mary Sell Montgomery Bureau Jul 26, 2014 http://www.decaturdaily.com/news/other_news/state/gov-bentley-picks-up-pace-of-in-state-flights/article_f7ceafbc-153b-11e4-9159-001a4bcf6878.html

Anonymous said...

Also, a lawsuit does not provide "eividence" of anything. A lawsuit is merely words on paper. Allegations, if you will. Evidence is testimony, documents, inferences, etc. That being said, I agree Bentley is a disgrace and his attempts to deny and explain this away are silly.

e.a.f. said...

and people wonder how Trump became President. all they really have to do is look at what voters elect as govenors.

prescribed himself Viagra using some one else's name? OMG, this is better than anything on t.v. this weekend.

for a country which has done so much in the world regarding science, law, etd. you wonder how it managed it when it has leaders like this.

legalschnauzer said...

@8:26 -- Very interesting article. It's from summer 2014, and I think the Lewis lawsuit says that's about the time Bentley's wife and sons started suspecting an affair.

Anonymous said...

Bentley arranged a conference call with legislators to deny allegations in lawsuit, and then he cancelled it. Hah!


http://www.alreporter.com/bentley-to-hold-conference-call-with-lawmakers-to-deny-affair-again/

Anonymous said...

Well, most will admit that the old fool Bentley says fewer stupid things when he isn't talking.

Had some time to take a look at the Lewis filing.

Does Governor Bentley really think he is the Commander in Chief of Alabama? (page 25 of the most recent lawsuit)

The Viagra allegation is on page 36 of the most recent lawsuit

94. On at least one occasion Governor Bentley ordered generic Viagra in Diane Bentley's name and had it shipped to the Mansion. She intercepted it and informed Lewis of this fact.

Talk about getting your peen caught in the zipper! Your wife of 50 years snags the Viagra at the same time you have been caught hot lapping with your 501(c4) squeeze. Do this too many times and all you are left with is a bloody nub! I wonder if the former wife will be deposed or testifying? (page 24 of the most recent lawsuit)

Anonymous said...

Here is another from 2014.

" Then his influence waned for a period of time before he saw potential in a little-known gubernatorial candidate from Tuscaloosa named Robert Bentley. He’s ridden the wave right back into the top 10, earning himself a second act near the top of the Alabama political pecking order.

O’Connor is in on everything that Gov. Bentley’s team is working on. If they’re considering a policy initiative, he’s right in the middle of the discussion. If the re-election campaign is strategizing or fundraising, he’s steering the ship." http://yellowhammernews.com/top40-2/10-bill-oconnor/

Allegation #52 on page 21 of the most recent lawsuit:

"52. On July 29, 2014, Bill O'Connor asked if he could meet with Plaintiff. They met that night. O'Connor expressed his concern about what was going on between the governor and Mrs. Mason. O'Connor stated "We created Rebekah, but it wasn't to sleep with the Governor."..."

Anonymous said...

failed nation state

https://www.sott.net/category/16

you are in good company, but get an exit plan when the martial law card gets called cause you're definitely on the list

Anonymous said...

Aboard the Eliza Battle, Bob Yancy was giving the daily briefing. He informed the crew that Bentley, with a shore party, was observed watching a little black dog dig up the roots of a plant.Everyone had their hands over their ears when the black dog pulled the roots from the ground. Bob said it was the same little dog that dug up the roots that resembled a nude Judge Pryor and also the roots that resembled Big Luther and Jessica in a amorous embrace.
Meanwhile aboard the Camperdown,Bentley was making a beverage consisting of the retrieved roots and wine. He proselytized Beka and John that the beverage,once consumed, would make Beka into a superior woman akin to Zatanna. But! The next person and only the next person to touch Beka's naked flesh would die. Bentley said to protect John from death, his bodyguard would trick a old man named Callimaco to come up behind Beka and fondle her.

Anonymous said...

Pryor’s not going to be rounding up Jews and exterminating them. It is the same tactic, however. The goal is different. The goal is globalization. They must silence all dissenting voices. That's what Hitler did. That's what Pryor, the U.N., and everybody on the global warming bandwagon are doing.