Move to impeach governor cleared by top court

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The impeachment hearings against Governor Robert Bentley will proceed as scheduled.

Earlier Friday, Bentley appeared in a hastily called news conference on the steps of the Alabama Capitol.

The lower court ruling prohibited the House Judiciary Committee from holding impeachment hearings.

"We are gratified that the Alabama Supreme Court acted promptly and that the restraining order against the Judiciary Committee is stayed", said Jack Sharman, a partner with Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC and special counsel to the Judiciary Committee.

Her husband, Jon Mason, was appointed by Bentley as executive director of the Governor's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

Because of the Alabama Supreme Court's action, the impeachment hearings will proceed as originally scheduled at 10:00am Monday.

Mickey: Warm temperatures all week
THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Sunshine will return in full supply Thursday with highs likely making their way into the lower and mid 80s. Tuesday's high temperature will be closer to the upper 50s, which is typical for this time of year, he said.

"It's disappointing to hear the Committee will plow forward while the Supreme Court is considering the case", he said in a statement.

"... In the spring 2014, Governor Bentley mistakenly sent to Ms. Bentley a text message that stated, "I love you Rebekah" and was accompanied by a red-rose emoji", the report states. "We have no idea what the committee has planned for Monday or who its witnesses will be", said Ross Garber, the attorney for the governor, as reported by the news outlet. "Bentley says he said inappropriate things to Mason but he never had an affair".

The state's ethics commission last week said it found probable cause that Bentley broke ethics and campaign law and referred the matter for possible prosecution.

The [special counsel's] report says that Bentley, whose 50-year marriage came to a shocking end in 2015, used state law enforcement officers to try and cover up an affair with a top aide, Rebekah Mason.

"Gov. Bentley directed law enforcement to advance his personal interests and, in a process characterized by increasing obsession and paranoia, subjected career law enforcement officers to tasks meant to protect his reputation", the report said. Stabler recalls that Lewis would frequently ask his detail members about Mason and Governor Bentley, and that Stabler told Lewis about the text message in the course of one of those discussions.

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