Sam Mattison
Alabama Political Reporter
The Alabama Political Reporter was featured Tuesday on MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow show for its reporting concerning Luther Strange’s appointment to the US Senate by former Governor Robert Bentley.
The article featured was “The End of Robert Bentley: Part I” written by APR columnist and reporter Josh Moon. The article was the first in a trio of articles detailing Bentley’s downfall that would eventually end with him pleading guilty to two charges and resigning as Governor.
Maddow was talking about the resignation of Bentley and, as a part of the segment, mentioned his appointment of former Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange to the vacant US Senate seat left by Jeff Sessions. Strange was conducting the impeachment of Robert Bentley at the time.
“If you are thinking this whole thing (Luther Strange’s appointment) looks a little sketchy and that Senate seat is starting to smell a little bit, then you are picking up what Alabama has been putting down,” Maddow said about the appointment.
Maddow cited a part in the article having to deal with the House Judiciary Committee’s reaction to the impeachment.
“But for those on the House Judiciary Committee —even those who have long supported Bentley— it prompted instant outrage,” the article said.
Since Bentley’s resignation, Governor Ivey has set a new Special Election date for the US Senate seat for December 2017. Bentley had originally scheduled to fill the seat in 2018.
Maddow has cited APR before during her show. She once cited APR’s Editor-in-Chief Bill Britt’s opinion article about a Senator in the Alabama Legislature who was trying to remove key components of a healthcare law. Maddow called the article one of the most scathing opinion pieces she has ever seen.
