Governor Bentley Case Study
The Rebekah Mason scandal has rocked the state of Alabama and Governor Robert Bentley (R-Al) has gone from limping to crawling just two years into his second term. After revelations that the governor apparently lied about having a physical affair with Mrs. Mason, many of his colleagues are now calling for him to resign. Ad Injection:random
But — right, wrong, or indifferent — Governor Bentley is probably not going anywhere.
Generally speaking, there are three ways to remove a public official from office: resignation, recall, and conviction after impeachment. In Governor Bentley’s case, each of these options has major roadblocks.
Option one: “Voluntary” resignation
The man who made this option most famous is President Richard Nixon, who stepped …show more content…
The articles of impeachment, which function as the charges against the accused, must be passed by a simple majority in the Alabama House of Representatives. Once the house impeaches the governor, he stands trial before the Alabama Senate in a trial presided over by the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court.
If the Governor is convicted, he would be removed from office and replaced by the current Lieutenant Governor, Kay Ivey.
While a handful of Republican House members have called for Bentley’s resignation, the impeachment route is complicated by the governor’s involvement in the criminal case against sitting House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn). Hubbard is accused of improperly lobbying the governor’s office for a consulting client of his. With the possibility of Bentley being called on to testify in the case, it is hard to imagine Hubbard supporting impeachment proceedings.
Bonus Option: Declaring the governor “to be of unsound mind.”
Ridding the state government of Bentley this way is so off-the-wall that it was not included in the probable three. But in a “House of Cards”-like scenario, someone with twisted ambition could find a way to make it
But — right, wrong, or indifferent — Governor Bentley is probably not going anywhere.
Generally speaking, there are three ways to remove a public official from office: resignation, recall, and conviction after impeachment. In Governor Bentley’s case, each of these options has major roadblocks.
Option one: “Voluntary” resignation
The man who made this option most famous is President Richard Nixon, who stepped …show more content…
The articles of impeachment, which function as the charges against the accused, must be passed by a simple majority in the Alabama House of Representatives. Once the house impeaches the governor, he stands trial before the Alabama Senate in a trial presided over by the Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court.
If the Governor is convicted, he would be removed from office and replaced by the current Lieutenant Governor, Kay Ivey.
While a handful of Republican House members have called for Bentley’s resignation, the impeachment route is complicated by the governor’s involvement in the criminal case against sitting House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn). Hubbard is accused of improperly lobbying the governor’s office for a consulting client of his. With the possibility of Bentley being called on to testify in the case, it is hard to imagine Hubbard supporting impeachment proceedings.
Bonus Option: Declaring the governor “to be of unsound mind.”
Ridding the state government of Bentley this way is so off-the-wall that it was not included in the probable three. But in a “House of Cards”-like scenario, someone with twisted ambition could find a way to make it