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Bentley denies Lewis allegations; calls suit a “Shakedown”

By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter

Wednesday, November 23, 2016 Alabama Governor Robert Bentley’s (R) former chief bodyguard, Ray Lewis, filed a lawsuit claiming among many other things, that the Governor and his former top political advisor Mrs. Rebekah Caldwell Mason have lied about him claiming overtime that was not approved and they have harmed his reputation in order to cover up their illicit affair.

Gov. Bentley is denying all of Lewis’s accusations.

In a statement, Gov. Bentley said, “Ray Lewis has presented a baseless, malicious, slanderous, salacious and poorly constructed civil complaint against myself and others in a thinly veiled attempt to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars from the State of Alabama taxpayers, myself and my family.”

Gov. Bentley said that, ”The outrageous claims are based on worn-out internet rumors, fake news and street gossip. These bogus claims are an attempt to smear my Administration, to distract from the important matters facing our state, and to attempt to assign wrongdoing where it does not exist. I have wholeheartedly rejected this attempt and will not allow the people of this state nor my family to be exploited. Because I have rejected his claim, Mr. Lewis has now unfortunately chosen to publicly file his false scheme disguised as a Civil Suit, which is filled with blatant lies, fictitious accounts, salacious and slanderous accusations, all in an effort to hurt my family and our state.”

Bentley added, “I am deeply saddened and disappointed in Ray, who served the State of Alabama taxpayers as Chief of the Governor’s Security Detail and whom I trusted with protecting my life and the life of my family.
Even in times when Ray faced criticism, I always publicly defended and supported him.”

Bentley concluded, “I will not allow a shakedown of taxpayers or my family and look forward to vigorously fighting this lawsuit. I will continue to protect my family, defend the people of our State, stand up for all the men and women in law enforcement and work hard for all of Alabama.”

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Gov. Bentley also denies former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) head Spencer Collier’s similar allegations. Collier was suspended and ultimately fired over allegations that he misappropriated state resources. A grand jury has cleared Collier of any wrongdoing; but he did not get his job back. Bentley still denies having an affair with Mrs. Mason even though both Lewis and Collier claim that he did. Mrs. Diane Bentley divorced the Governor over the allegations. A tape of Bentley and Mrs. Mason having an intimate conversation was recorded by Mrs. Bentley and was ultimately made public. Bentley, who took Mrs. Mason to a formal dinner at the Whitehouse with President Barack H. Obama and the nation’s governors acknowledges an inappropriate relationship; but denies physical intimacy with Mrs. Mason, whose husband heads the Governor’s faith based initiatives effort.

Wendall Ray Lewis claims that Bentley admitted to him that he was having a sexual affair with Mason. Lewis said that he advised Bentley to end the affair and even was ordered by Bentley to announce the breakup to Mrs. Mason. Bentley then reversed that decision an hour later after Lewis had broke the news to Rebekah. Lewis claims that Bentley told him that he loved Rebekah.

According to Lewis, the infamous helicopter ride to ferry the Governor’s wallet from his Tuscaloosa mansion to the beach was after a fight with then Mrs. Bentley over Rebekah. Lewis claims to have seen Mrs. Mason straightening her skirt and fixing her hair after a session with the Governor in his office. Lewis said that the issue of Mrs. Mason being flown by the state was also broached and Bentley said, “Listen guys, I want Rebekah on these planes.” Lewis also claims that Bentley wrote prescriptions for Mrs. Mason as well as for himself.

Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler (R) said, “The truth is at last coming out. It has taken too long, and yet Gov. Bentley continues to escape the consequences of his serious misconduct. What will it take to wake up the legislature for impeachment and wake up Luther Strange for indictment?””

State Representative Ed Henry (R from Hartselle) who filed the articles of impeachment against Bentley said, “It just continues to grow. The House needs to continue our impeachment process.”

The impeachment investigation into the conduct of the “Luv Guv” is presently suspended, at the request of Attorney General Luther Strange (R), awaiting action by prosecutors with the Alabama Attorney General’s office.

Brandon Moseley is a former reporter at the Alabama Political Reporter.

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