Ethics Commission clears Rebekah Mason in Jim Zeigler complaint
The former Senior Policy Adviser and alleged mistress of former-Gov. Robert Bentley was cleared Thursday by the Alabama Ethics Commission against accusations brought forth by State Auditor Jim Zeigler. Zeigler had named Mason in a complaint filed March 25, 2016 with the Ethics Commission, which according to Zeigler, launched a year-long investigation that ultimately resulted in finding probable cause Bentley violated state law. Zeigler reportedly included in his complaint the allegation that Bentley and Mason set up a “dark money” group to receive funds from unknown donors and spend it without accountability. Named among the group’s donors was ACEGOV, the Alabama Council for Excellent Government, a nonprofit founded by Bentley, which partially paid Mason. On April 5, the Ethics Commission met and held ten hours of hearings on complaints against Bentley and Mason, in which they were unable to prove Mason was guilty of an ethics violation. The Commission concluded, upon review of the evidence from the investigation, that there was not probable cause to believe that Rebekah Caldwell Mason committed a violation of the Alabama Ethics Act. Accordingly, your complaint has been dismissed. Should you provide any additional information that would warrant a reopening of this case, a new investigation would be conducted. Zeigler says he now looking to see if other options are available to continue to the investigation. Read the full letter from the Ethics Commission below:
Jim Zeigler claims dark money group supporting Robert Bentley
The Alabama Council for Excellent Government (ACEGOV) has reported raising little more than $90,000 in 2015. The group reported expenses of a little more than $63,000, mostly for polling, web development and compensation including that of Rebekah Mason, Bentley’s former senior aide with whom he admitted to speaking inappropriately. The donors however are unknown. “The use of secret donors to pay a top adviser to the Governor has a corrupting influence, said Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler, a vocal critic of Bentley. “Who are the Governor and his then-top adviser accountable to? We may never know.” Zeigler continued, “It appears that this arrangement is legal under IRS rules, but it may not be legal under Alabama ethics laws. A state official cannot receive over $25.00, and Mrs. Mason appears to have received way more than that from the secret group. “A January ethics opinion appears to outlaw this type of activity. The opinion needs to be strictly applied.” Mason resigned in March 2016 after criticism of her relationship with Bentley.
Robert Bentley nonprofit raises less than $100,000 in 2015
Tax forms show a nonprofit formed to support Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley‘s political agenda raised and spent less than $100,000 last year. The Alabama Council for Excellent Government raised a little more than $90,000 in 2015. The group reported expenses of a little more than $63,000, mostly for consulting, polling and web development. The organization was drawn into headlines after Bentley in March acknowledged inappropriate behavior with a former top aide, who was not on state payroll but had been paid by the nonprofit and Bentley’s campaign. The group, also known as ACEGOV, was formed last year as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, and is not required to disclose donors. The organization appears to have gone dormant in the wake of the scandal. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
