“Hey, I wonder what disgraced convicted felon and embarrassed former Governor Robert Bentley thinks about Amy Coney Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination?”
This, of course, is a question no one has asked — or will ask.
However, Bentley apparently felt like answering it anyway.
If there is a rejection or even a razor thin confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to SCOTUS, it will be because those who made the decision to change the AL Senate election to 2017 after it had already been set. https://t.co/OGmZleU1om
— Governor Robert Bentley (@GovRBentley) September 29, 2020
So, Bentley is now blaming Governor Kay Ivey for U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) being a thing?
No. Just, no.
Remember the timeline of this debacle:
- Bentley was elected and reelected governor of Alabama
- Bentley got caught stepping out on his wife of 50+ years
- Bentley attempted to use campaign dollars and state dollars to facilitate and cover-up this embarrassing mess
- Bentley denied all allegations and said he did not have a physical relationship with Rebekah Caldwell Mason, his aide
- Embarrassing recordings of Bentley making sexual comments to Mason are released
- State Rep. Ed Henry (R-Priceville) announces intentions to impeachment
- Information allegedly leaked from the State Ethics Commission claimed that an investigation was almost complete
- Bentley appointed Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange to the U.S. Senate after then Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) was confirmed as U.S. Attorney General
- Strange claims the AG’s office never said there was an investigation in Bentley. He stated, “We have never said in our office that we are investigating the governor. I think it’s actually somewhat unfair to him and unfair to the process.”
- Strange’s successor, Attorney General Steve Marshall, recused himself from the matter and appointed Ellen Brooks to take over the investigation into Bentley that Strange denied existed
- The State Ethics Commission finds “probable cause” that Bentley had violated the ethics and campaign finance laws
- Bentley was charged with crimes
- Bentley resigned in disgrace
- Governor Kay Ivey is sworn in
- The citizens of Alabama demanded an opportunity to undo the appointment
- Governor Ivey gave them that chance
- Democratic primary voters selected a guy with virtually no chance of becoming a U.S. Senator in Alabama — Doug Jones
- Republican primary voters selected incredibly beatable Roy Moore as their nominee
- Republican voters listened to U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and others and stayed home, handing Jones an unlikely victory
- Jones acted like a good Democrat for U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and voted against one good Supreme Court justice and promised to vote against another
So, who’s to blame here? Luther Strange? Governor Ivey? Roy Moore? Richard Shelby? Voters?
No.
This is all, 100%, Robert Bentley’s fault.
He failed his family, his state, his country and himself.
Any attempt to shift the blame to anyone else just further highlights what how unrepentant he is.
If he had any pride, he would just fade away. But if he had any pride, we probably wouldn’t be in this situation because of him.
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.
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