The state's top cop, Stephen Collier, was sacked Tuesday by Bentley for misappropriation of state funds.
"You'd kiss me. I love that, you know I do love that", Bentley says. "If we are going to do what we did the other day, we are going to have to start locking the door". "I want everyone to know that I have not had a physical affair", he said.
There have been whispers about a possible affair between Bentley and Mason for at least the past year, since Bentley's wife filed for divorce from the politician. Bentley defeated his opponent... A day after his firing, Bentley's former law enforcement secretary and one-time close friend made public the content of a clandestine recording and accused his former boss of having an inappropriate relationship with the staffer. He allegedly discovered a sexual text message on Bentley's cellphone in August 2014 and notified his superiors, though he denied Collier's claims Wednesday.
And when I say "massive", I mean it. Bentley is asking for forgiveness for his sexual behavior, but his time in office has been marked by a deeply unforgiving attitude towards the sex lives of anyone who isn't a straight man. This, even though most of the people he targets are having private, consensual sex that harms no one else, and aren't doing anything wrong at all. "I love that, too", Bentley said in the recording. "I don't want anybody representing me or my family or my community that conducts himself in that manner, especially in the statehouse".
Bentley is a father of four and grandfather of six who has taught Sunday school at his Baptist church in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
"I'm apologizing for the things that I've said", Bentley said.
"I've seen some snippets on television of some of my colleagues in Montgomery and their response - there was a senator who said 'that's his personal business, ' then there was a veteran multi-term house member who said 'that's his personal business", Farley says.
"I think it's very unfortunate that the governor has made some mistakes", Rep. Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, said. It's not clear where Mason's pay has been coming from as the state has no official record of her employment.
North Korea claims more progress in missile development
Share with Us - We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article, and smart, constructive criticism. The Korean letters on the screen read: "Kim Jong Un watches a solid-fueled rocket engine test".
The governor and Mason were "furious" and yelled and ridiculed him in front of other staffers, Collier said. Since 2010, I have proudly served as (Bentley's) campaign press secretary, communications director adviser, campaign communications director and now senior political adviser. "I am apologizing for the things that I said".
But throughout the news conference, he maintained that the relationship never got physical.
The Alabama Attorney General says his office plans to thoroughly investigate any "illegal activity in this state".
A handful of legislators statewide called on the governor to resign Thursday.
Mason, in a statement, said Collier would have not made that comment a man in a position of influence within the executive branch.
Though many state officials are walking on eggshells, Farley notes it is beyond a political issue.
Mason has not yet commented on the accusations of impropriety, and Bentley has made no indication he's stepping down.