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The Robert Bentley-Rebekah Mason "Trojan Horse" Fraud Scheme Is Back
By Donald V. Watkins
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on February 7, 2017
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on February 7, 2017
Tonight, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley will reintroduce his massive "Trojan Horse" Fraud Scheme to the state legislature for a second straight year. The proposed $800 million bond deal for new Alabama prisons is loaded down with graft and potential corrupt practices. If approved by the legislature the 2017 session, this single financial transaction will result in a host of public corruption activity for lawmakers, state government officials, and the so-called "consultants" aligned with them.
Bentley's office has already acknowledged in promotional literature released in advance of his official reintroduction of the prison plan tonight, that the state will seek proposals for the prison construction projects rather than bidding these projects out to the lowest qualified and responsive builder.
Bentley and his married girlfriend, Rebekah Mason, hatched the original prison plan last year. The plan requires the state to build three new men's prisons and a new women's prison to replace Julia Tutwiler Prison. The plan requires legislation authorizing the state to borrow the $800 million for the prison construction projects. The new plan is substantially similar to last year's plan.
The prison plan has been problematic from the beginning. It was intentionally vague and lacked the customary checks and balances that promote financial accountability. It was also woefully inadequate on transparency. The new plan is no better. For example, there is no requirement for the disclosure of "insider" relationships and financial transactions involving legislators and other government officials who are associated with companies seeking to perform work on prison construction projects. There is no meaningful itemization for the use of proceeds from the bond deal authorized in the legislation.
Absent these protective measures, the plan provides a ready-made infrastructure for fraud and undisclosed financial deals for Bentley, Mason, their friends, political cronies, and others who have special relationships with the governor and Ms. Mason. Furthermore, the plan provides Bentley and Mason with enough cloud cover, haze and fog to conceal this sea potential fraud, undisclosed financial dealings, and "dark money" insider transactions.
The plan is a classic "Trojan Horse" fraud scheme. Without a doubt, Alabama needs new prisons. Alabama houses about 24,000 inmates in prisons designed for 13,000. The prison population is growing every year. However, the $800 million prison plan is riddled with cavities for secrecy, fraud and deceit – the hallmarks of the Bentley-Mason relationship and brand.
As we first reported in May of 2016, Bentley, Mason and the undisclosed financial beneficiaries of the plan have found new and creative ways to spend this public money on their politically connected friends and cronies without going through competitive bids, proper financial oversight and accountability, and the heightened level of transparency that should accompany an $800 million bond deal for major capital projects.
Finally, we are told that Rebekah Mason has the inside track on guiding this $800 million deal to the successful contractor. Who will pay her and what will she make?
You will be shocked. Stay tuned!
Donald V Watkins
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