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Trapped in a Tangled Web of Deception
By Donald V. Watkins
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on April 15, 2016
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on April 15, 2016
People have asked me what I thought of the Alabama Political Reporter's story yesterday that fired political consultant Rebekah Caldwell Mason is still advising disgraced Alabama governor Robert Bentley. My answer is simple: Bentley is hopelessly trapped in a tangled web of deception from which there is no escape.
The existence of state and federal probes into the love couple's kleptocratic crime spree has been confirm by several media organizations. What was once a torrid "love" affair between Bentley and Rebekah is now a game of "survival" for each lover.
Rebekah is cooperating with the federal investigation. Any continued contact Rebekah is having with Bentley is for the sole purpose of gathering incriminating evidence against him. What meaningful "political" advice could the "target" of an ongoing public corruption criminal investigation possibly give to the main "target" of the investigation? Bentley and Rebekah were partners in sex and crime. They are Alabama's modern-day version of "Bonnie and Clyde".
What sitting governor of sound mind would listen to political advice from Rebekah? Her "advice" and other "personal services" have Bentley engulfed in a raging political firestorm and two out-of-control public corruption investigations. Bentley, 73, is fighting to stay out of jail in the twilight years of his life.
Bentley is desperately trying to stay in touch with Rebekah in the unrealistic hopes of maintaining her loyalty under fire. Yesterday's Alabama Political Reporter story is accurate regarding the 3-hour "secret" meeting between Bentley and Rebekah at the Capitol last week. Bentley must find a way to justify any "hush money" transferred to Rebekah for the purpose of keeping her quiet. This also explains why Rebekah's husband, Jonathan Mason, is still on the state's payroll as the director of Serve Alabama even though the couple's finances are the subject of a state criminal investigation.
The Masons are running out of money for Rebekah's high-price criminal defense lawyer, Bobby Segall. He is expensive and very good at his craft. Bentley has to find a way to give Rebekah a "money transfusion" to pay for Segall's legal services.
The problem for Bentley is this: It is too late. Rebekah is already singing to federal agents. This mother of three young children is trying to stay out of jail by cooperating with law enforcement officials. She has zero interest in continuing the hopeless web of deception.
This is no longer a story about sex for power. Investigators have confirmed that Robert Bentley was running an ongoing criminal enterprise out of the governor's office. Just like former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who is serving a 28-year federal prison sentence, Bentley was engaged in widespread racketeering activities and was the "ring leader" of this criminal enterprise.
The two lovers did not stop at trading power for sex. They also split cash that Rebekah earned as a "consultant" who could provide third parties with direct access to the governor. Some of this cash was reportedly stashed away in a safe deposit box that only Bentley and Rebekah could access.
Sources inside the governor's office have confirmed to us that Bentley is totally distracted by the growing scandal. His actions are extremely erratic and he is paranoid about everything and everybody. At this point, Bentley does not trust his own lawyer, Montgomery attorney Joe Espy.
The only people around Bentley are paid cronies, none of whom truly cares about the governor's deteriorating mental health or well-being. They, too, think Bentley is angry, delusional and unpredictable.
Apart from a few symbolic public appearances, Bentley is doing no substantive work as governor. Most of his time is spent huddling with Attorney Espy and other members of his legal team as Bentley desperately tries to stay out of jail.
As part of his continuing effort to stay in office and stay out of jail, Bentley has directed Jonathan to channel an enhanced flow of Serve Alabama cash as "hush money" to organizations and entities affiliated with legislators, their mistresses, friends and cronies. This explains why not a single black legislator, or black minister, has publicly called for Bentley's resignation even though Bentley's record of disparate treatment against black Alabamians matches the level of racial discrimination practiced by segregationist governor John M. Patterson (1959-1963).
Our bright spotlight on this case has made it very difficult for Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange and Montgomery U.S. Attorney George Beck to "fix" the criminal cases for Bentley by using their prosecutorial discretion. As reported earlier, the federal probe is directed by the Justice Department in Washington.
Our Facebook news team is working to confirm "street" reports that House Speaker Mike Hubbard is exploring a guilty plea deal with state and federal prosecutors to spill the beans on Bentley in exchange for an 18 month sentence in Hubbard's public corruption case. Earlier this year, Bentley tried to derail the Hubbard prosecution in an effort to avoid taking the witness stand as a prosecution witness. This effort was unsuccessful. Hubbard defense attorneys were prepared to hammer Bentley on his love affair with Rebekah. Bentley, who has a ferocious propensity to lie about everything, has never answered questions about the affair under oath. Bentley settled his divorce case in record time to keep from answering questions under oath about the affair.
At this point, Bentley is hopelessly trapped in a tangled web of deception of his own making.
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