The Bentley-Strange deal proves that a governor can buy his way out of a criminal investigation under the right circumstances as long as he is dealing with an attorney general/political prostitute who is high on an ecstasy concoction of greed and self-interest.
If you think this deal is bad, just wait until Bentley names the new Alabama attorney general. Our sources report that Governor Bentley is considering Cooper Shattuck or David Byrne to replace Luther Strange. Both men are loyal to Bentley.
Shattuck, who is Bentley's former legal adviser, took care of Rebekah Mason with "dark money" payments from the Bentley slush fund called the "Alabama Council for Excellent Government", which Shattuck chaired. He also served as the general council at the University of Alabama until he was forced out last December because of his controversial role in the Bentley-Mason "sex for power" scandal.
David Byrne is best known for presiding over the collapse of Colonial Bank in 2009 as the Bank's general counsel and senior executive vice president. The bank's collapse cost the FDIC and shareholders billions of dollars. This singular achievement qualified Byrne to serve as Bentley chief legal adviser, a position he holds today.
Both Shattuck and Byrne would be expected to officially close the state's criminal investigation of Bentley and Mason for public corruption. Neither man would run for re-election. They are widely viewed as special-purpose Bentley flunkies.
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