Alabama starting WR Robert Foster has serious shoulder injury, will miss rest of season, source says | AL.com

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6 QBs the Cowboys could acquire to replace Tony Romo - USATODAY

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Bell: Tony Romo's broken collarbone leaves Cowboys with murky outlook - USATODAY

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Tony Romo knocked out of game with apparent left shoulder injury | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo Sports

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Alabama drops 10 spots in both polls | AL.com

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Johnny Manziel has his moment against Marcus Mariota, but what does it mean? - USATODAY

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Donald Watkins: Executive Betrayal - Robert Bentley's Fleecing of Taxpayers and Donors - Part 2 - Follow The Money

Executive Betrayal - Robert Bentley's Fleecing of Taxpayers and Donors – Part 2

 

By Donald V. Watkins

©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on September 20, 2015

 

Follow the Money

 

Rebekah Caldwell Mason, Governor Robert Bentley's mistress and the de facto First Lady of Alabama, is married to Jonathan P. Mason.  Jonathan was a weatherman at WVUA, a small local television station in Tuscaloosa. When Bentley took office in January of 2011, however, he made Jonathan the director of Serve Alabama, which is the state agency for the governor's faith-based programs and services. 

 

Serve Alabama functions as the Alabama State Service Commission, granting and administering ten state AmeriCorps programs across Alabama.  It is the state's lead agency for Volunteer and Donations Management after disasters. This office serves as a liaison to the state for faith-based and community-based non-profit groups.

 

Serve Alabama also administered FEMA's Disaster Case Management Program for survivors of the April 2011 storms. It administers the Governor's Emergency Relief Fund.  The office administers ReadyAlabama.gov, Alabama's statewide disaster preparedness campaign.

 

Serve Alabama states that it carries out the goals and objectives of the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Volunteer Service through partnerships, integrity, and a sense of community.  Since Jonathan Mason has been its director, the agency has taken on a highly suspect role in the Bentley administration.

 

As the governor's lover and mistress, Rebekah made sure that Bentley directed a lucrative stream of financial payments to Jonathan. Not only did this money to supplement their household income, but it also helped to ensure that Jonathan would turn a blind eye toward the clandestine love affair between Bentley and Rebekah.  

 

It is reported that Jonathan draws a healthy annual salary in his position as director of Serve Alabama, while also receiving economic benefits for the donations he secures for the various programs under this umbrella organization.

 

Jonathan Mason has received a total of $393,538 in state pay (from 2011 to date) and has dominion and control over a staff of thirteen employees. Payroll costs and employee benefits for Serve Alabama employees have totaled more than $2.9 million since Jonathan has been director.

 

From his Serve Alabama empire, this former "weatherman"is now in a command position to hand out millions of dollars annually to religious and service organizations all over the state, with no adequate checks and balance and minimal financial oversight.  

 

The funds that pour into Serve Alabama come from thegeneral fund, education trust fund and several special revenue funds, federal grants, private contributions, inter-fund state and federal programs, and other sources. The Alabama Commission on National and Community Service is authorized to accept funds and in-kind services from other state and federal entities on behalf of Serve Alabama. 

 

Jonathan, who had no executive experience running a large business enterprise or managing a major financial programprior to joining Serve Alabama, decides how this pool of money will be spent and who will benefit from it.  In fiscal year 2011-2012, Jonathan spent $9,591,869, followed by$6,576,204 in 2012-2013, $3,036,305 in 2013-2014, and $2,984,971 in 2014-2015 year-to-date. Even though Jonathan joined Bentley's administration in January of 2011, he spent the overwhelming majority of Serve Alabama's $4,589,423 for fiscal year 2010-2011.

 

Since 2011, Jonathan has awarded more than $20 million in grants and program benefits to a wide range of entities and programs across the state. Most of this money came fromfederal program funds.  Federal funds are protected from fraud, misapplication, misappropriation, and other abuses.  These funds are subject to federal criminal prosecution if they are misused.  

 

Many of the Serve Alabama awardees have been qualified and deserving recipients.  However, some of the Serve Alabama money went to "pass through" entities that were controlled by Bentley and his cronies.  This made it possible for these expenditures escape to the normal transparency and oversight governing the expenditure of other public funds.  In fact, audits of Serve Alabama bystate examiners only verify that the grant money was disbursed to the recipients.  The examiners do not verify how the recipients spent the money.  The Commission also has no meaningful oversight role with regard to expenditures by financial recipients.

 

In reality, Serve Alabama grant and program benefitsmoney has been doled out by Jonathan's office towhichever organizations, entities, and persons Jonathan, Rebekah and Bentley favored. Since Jonathan has been its director, Serve Alabama has evolved into another slush fund that was used to reward Bentley, the Masons, theirfriends, and political cronies.  It has become a cesspool of corruption.

 

More to come on "Follow the Money".

 

By Donald V.Watkins

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At Alabama, doubt replaces a football dynasty - Dan Wolken - USATODAY

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Carson: A Muslim Shouldn't be President - The Daily Beast

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NFL Scores & Schedules - USATODAY

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Bell Tolls: DeMarco Murray says Cowboys week just another week - USATODAY

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AL.com's instant analysis: How Ole Miss stunned Alabama on wacky night | AL.com

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How Ole Miss ever scored a touchdown from this play is a complete mystery | For The Win

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Rising Mississippi makes it two wins in a row vs. Alabama - USATODAY

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Donald V. Watkins/Facebook - Exclusive: Mike Echols Splits From Bentley - Mike Echols, Governor Robert Bentley’s long-time personal CPA and heavy hitting moneyman for the Robert Bentley Campaign Committee, has split from the governor.

EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS---

Mike Echols Splits From Bentley

By Donald V. Watkins
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on September 18, 2015

Mike Echols, Governor Robert Bentley’s long-time personal CPA and heavy hitting moneyman for the Robert Bentley Campaign Committee, has split from the governor. Echols, who handled the financial books and records for both the Bentleys and the Campaign Committee, resigned his post over a disagreement with Bentley about Rebekah Mason, the governor’s mistress and married paramour.

The precise nature of this dispute, which occurred several weeks ago, is not known at this time.

What is known, however, is that Bentley wanted Echols to do something questionable with the financial records relating to Rebekah Mason. The governor's request did not sit well with Echols, a respected Tuscaloosa accountant and well-known PAC organizer. During a heated exchange between the two men, Echols refused the governor’s request and turned over the various checkbooks and financial records in his custody to Bentley. With this handover, the professional relationship between Echols and Bentley ended.

Echols has been Bentley’s personal accountant for many years. He was also the Campaign Committee’s treasurer in 2010 and 2014.

In a slick move that is expected to become the focus of First Lady Dianne Bentley’s divorce proceedings, as well as law enforcement agencies in Washington, the governor stashed $500,000 of cash from the marital estate away for his life with Rebekah after the divorce. He laundered this money in the form of leftover donations through a series of transfers, starting with a personal loan to his campaign account, then a transfer of this money from his campaign to his newly formed non-profit organization, the Alabama Council for Excellent Government, followed by payments from the Council to Rebekah Mason for services rendered. The loan can be repaid to Bentley’s campaign after his divorce.

As we reported on September 13, 2015, the governor has secured the legal services of Joe Espy, a Montgomery attorney and fellow University of Alabama trustee, to handle his potential criminal exposure for using state resources to carry on his illicit love affair, among other matters. Espy specializes in white-collar crimes and public corruption cases. Bentley confirmed Espy’s hiring earlier this week.

Echols’ departure from the governor’s inner circle adds to a growing list of top staffers and supporters who have split with Bentley over his illicit love affair with Rebekah Mason and his cover-up of the misuse of state resources and misspending of campaign funds. This list includes prominent officials in Bentley’s Tuscaloosa church who have urged him, albeit without success, to break off the affair. The list also includes a staffer who reported Rebekah’s misuse of state resources and misspending of campaign funds directly to the governor, and was chastised.

Others on the list include former trooper lieutenant Wendell Ray Lewis, the departing chief legal advisor David Byrne, a former executive employee at the state capitol who quit because of the Bentley-Mason affair, two of the three board members of the Alabama Council for Excellent Government (whose resignations are forthcoming), and several security officers (who are waiting to bolt from the mess created by this scandal).

More to come.

By Donald V. Watkins

Another college game day, 8 players ejected for targeting - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2015/09/19/another-college-game-day-7-players-ejected-for-targeting/72494082/

Joe Biden Edges Closer to Joining Presidential Race - WSJ

http://www.wsj.com/articles/joe-biden-edges-closer-to-joining-presidential-race-1442617215

Alabama goes with different starting quarterback | AL.com

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Will Jeremy Johnson remain Auburn's starting quarterback? 'Every position' under evaluation | AL.com

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What's wrong with Auburn quarterback Jeremy Johnson? - USATODAY

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College football Week 3 winners and losers - USATODAY

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Alabama, Ole Miss both enter Saturday with plenty to prove | AL.com

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2015/09/alabama_ole_miss_both_enter_sa.html#incart_2box


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Watch LSU's Leonard Fournette run all over Auburn | AL.com

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AL.com's instant analysis: Auburn's season makes a wrong turn at LSU | AL.com

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Nick Saban explains what angers him most on sideline during games | AL.com

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Former Auburn players chiming in on 'sickening' game at LSU | AL.com

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Blue Jays OF Chris Colabello takes incredible journey to the majors - USATODAY

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Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer has heated confrontation with manager during mound visit | For The Win

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Golfers react to news of Tiger Woods' surgery - USATODAY

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NCAAF Scores & Schedules - USATODAY

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Johnny Manziel rips on ESPN critic (Merril Hoge) who called him a ‘juvenile punk’ | For The Win

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2015 college football TV schedule - USATODAY

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Game preview: Ole Miss at Alabama | USA TODAY Sports

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Johnny Manziel says he is 'more ready now' after being named starter for Sunday - USATODAY

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Armour: Unhappy with prospect of being jilted, NFL fans protest in seats - USATODAY

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Alabama, Ole Miss both enter Saturday with plenty to prove | AL.com

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Hollis Picks: Can Auburn fix Johnson in time to win at LSU? Ole Miss' Tuscaloosa history says Tide gets revenge | AL.com

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Chiefs fumble away their chance to flip script on Broncos in AFC West - USATODAY

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GOP debate a CNN ratings success - POLITICO

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Trump's bad morning after - POLITICO

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Alabama Legislature's 2015 Winners and Losers | AL.com

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Milo Hamilton, voice of Hank Aaron's 715th homer, dies | www.ajc.com

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Roger Goodell's role in conduct policy might not change 'for years' - USATODAY

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Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton dies at 88 - USATODAY

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USA TODAY Sports college football staff picks for Week 3 | USA TODAY Sports Wire

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USA TODAY Sports’ Week 2 NFL picks | USA TODAY Sports Wire

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Fact check: The second Republican debate - USATODAY

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The Meck Report: Executive Betrayal - Robert Bentley's Fleecing of Taxpayers and Donors - By Donald V. Watkins

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If Donald Trump wins, what country would you flee to? | OnPolitics

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Republican debate 2015: Start time, schedule, and what to expect - Vox

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NFL games raking in more than $600K for 30-second ad | Yardbarker.com

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Report: Mike Lupica out at Daily News in wave of layoffs | Yardbarker.com

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Bowl projections: Notre Dame, Auburn fall out of College Football Playoff | USA TODAY Sports Wire

http://sportswire.usatoday.com/2015/09/16/bowl-projections-notre-dame-auburn-college-football-playoff/

You can now download Apple's iOS 9 - USATODAY

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What Peyton Manning did for my friend, dying of breast cancer - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2015/09/16/what-peyton-manning-did-for-my-friend-who-is-dying-of-breast-cancer/72283084/

GOP debate looks to be outsiders vs. insiders battle - USATODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/09/16/republican-debate-reagan-library-cnn/72299634/

Pacman Jones fined $35,000 for Amari Cooper incident, says he will appeal - USATODAY

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Apple's $1.1T bet: You want an iPhone payment - USATODAY

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Biden: Trump has ‘sick message’ over immigration | OnPolitics

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