Wife Of Anti-Gay Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley Files For Divorce Over His Affair With Staffer

REPORT: Wife Of Anti-Gay Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley Files For Divorce Over His Affair With Staffer

September 2, 2015 Religion, Scandal

Early this year Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley declared that same-sex marriage is “demeaning to democracy” in a brief filed with the Eleventh Circuit Court. What ISN’T demeaning, apparently, is cheating on your wife with a 30-years-younger staffer. First, the official story from AL.com:

Gov. Robert Bentley’s wife of 50 years, Dianne, today filed for divorce, saying “their marriage has suffered an irretrievable breakdown,” according to court records. The couple, both 72, were married in 1965 and have four children. The filing cites “complete incompatibility of temperament” and states they have been separated since January. The filing also lists her address as Tuscaloosa and his as Montgomery. “There exists a conflict of personalities which destroys the legitimate aims of matrimony and all possibilities of reconciliation are futile,” the filing states. The couple has continued to make public appearances together. Today, they were seen together at College Colors Day at the governor’s mansion in Montgomery. In today’s filing, Dianne Bentley asks for the governor to pay for all debts the couple incurred during the marriage, as well as her attorney fees. She also seeks sole ownership of all property they acquired during their marriage. Her attorney today also filed notice that he intends to take a deposition from the governor on November 20 at his Birmingham office, according to court records.

And here’s what Legal Schnauzer says is the inside scoop:

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley engaged in an extramarital affair with his former communications director, leading First Lady Dianne Bentley to file for divorce last Friday after 50 years of marriage, sources tellLegal Schnauzer. Rebekah Caldwell Mason, a married mother of three from Bentley’s home base of Tuscaloosa, was the governor’s mistress in an affair that sources say raises a number of possible legal issues–including use of the state jet and a state trooper’s services for personal reasons that had nothing to do with Bentley’s official role. The 72-year-old Bentley, a Republican serving in his second term, repeatedly has touted his Christian faith and conservative “family values” to attract voters. He long has served as a deacon at First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa. Bentley made national headlines in 2011 when, shortly after his inauguration, he said, “”Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I’m telling you, you’re not my brother and you’re not my sister. And I want to be your brother.” Rebekah Caldwell Mason, sources say, quickly became more than just a communications director to Bentley. Their affair became so widely known that it diluted any moral authority the governor might have had. “He’s been impotent as governor for at least the last six months,” one source toldLegal Schnauzer. “People have been going into his office and saying, ‘Do what I want or I’m going to play the girlfriend card.’ People have been running all over him.”

There’s much more about the scandal at the link. In the photo below, Bentley is sworn into office by his BFF, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore.