MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and others have “flatly” refused to cooperate in an impeachment probe, the special counsel in the investigation said Tuesday as he asked the House Judiciary Committee to issue subpoenas to compel them to turn over documents.
Special counsel Jack Sharman asked the committee to subpoena documents from Bentley, a former staffer with whom Bentley was accused of having an affair, the governor’s campaign, a nonprofit that paid the staffer and other entities.
“The office of the governor has flatly, adamantly and in every way possible made clear they are not going to cooperate,” Sharman told the committee. “The same thing is true of every other person and entity on that list I provided you,” Sharman said. Sharman said the people and entities had voluntarily turned over “few or no documents” in response to his requests.
It’s the latest twist in the slow-moving impeachment probe launched after the governor’s fired law enforcement secretary accused Bentley of having an affair with his political adviser, Rebekah Caldwell Mason, and of interfering in law enforcement business.
Bentley’s attorney disputed Sharman’s assertion, saying the governor’s office voluntarily turned over 1,500 pages of material on Tuesday morning.