MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gov. Robert Bentley submitted a report to the House Judiciary Committee that he believes justifies his firing of former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Spencer Collier. Collier was fired in March for allegedly misusing state funds, but Collier has fought back with a lawsuit claiming he was fired for failing to lie under oath.
According to the Montgomery Advertiser, the report claims Collier did not follow the proper procedure when he purchased guns and clothing with state funds. ALEA employees also went on the record and stated that Collier took extended absences from the office due to his back problems.
The Decatur Daily reports that Bentley said he would be “derelict in my duty” should he not fire Collier for his misuse of ALEA money. Collier, in turn, blasted the report as a personal attack from the governor meant to undermine his current suit.
“This is their slimy attempt to discredit me,” Collier told The Decatur Daily. “It’s just a hit piece,” he reiterated to al.com.
Alabama’s House Judiciary Committee is currently investigating whether or not there is cause to impeach Bentley. The articles of impeachment, filed in April, include neglect of duty, corruption, incompetency, and offenses of moral terpitude. Collier’s comments to the press played an integral part in pushing house members to begin the impeachment process after the Bentley-Mason scandal broke on Yellowhammer.
Collier filed suit against Gov. Bentley for wrongful termination in mid-April, and he alleges that Bentley fired him because he refused to lie to a prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office.
Bentley has denied any wrongdoing.
“Mr. Collier was terminated of his duties at ALEA for cause,” Bentley said in response to the lawsuit. “Once the facts and circumstances become public, I am confident that the justification for terminating him will be shown. We will aggressively defend this lawsuit.”
Collier’s lawsuit further accuses Governor Bentley, his former senior advisor and mistress Rebekah Mason and ALEA Secretary Stan Stabler of purposefully planting false stories with the media accusing Collier of misappropriation of funds.
According to Collier, Stan Stabler, who was at the time a member of Governor Bentley’s security detail, inadvertently saw a sexually explicit text from Mrs. Mason to Governor Bentley and brought it to the attention of his superior. As the information worked its way up the chain of command, Collier was alerted and made the decision to confront the Governor.
“I told Governor Bentley there was no need to try to explain it,” he recalled. “It was very obvious it was sexual in nature. Governor Bentley just hung his head and asked for advice on how to get out of it.”
Collier says he told Governor Bentley it would be a crime if he had used state or campaign resources to facilitate the affair. Governor Bentley then told Collier he would end the relationship with Mrs. Mason, but changed his mind the following morning.
“From 2014 to the present it has come apparent to me that Mrs. Mason wields a level of influence over state government that I have never seen before,” he said. “I have received complaints from law enforcement, other government officials and members of Governor Bentley’s family.
“He made it clear to me that anyone that questioned Rebekah Mason’s influence would be terminated,” Collier emphasized. “Less than a month ago the Governor told me he was still madly in love with Rebekah Mason but that he’s a man of honor and wouldn’t ask her to divorce her husband.”
Collier continued in his job until March, when he says he found out via social media that he had been fired and replaced by Stan Stabler, the individual who he says saw the initial text.
In response to Collier’s comments, Mr. Stabler said, “The allegation and implication from Mr. Collier is completely false and without merit.”
