By Bill Britt
Alabama Political Reporter
MONTGOMERY—-A high-ranking official in the Bentley administration says the Governor recently declared war on the former law enforcement chief, Spencer Collier.
The first salvo came in the form of a fabricated report released by Bentley’s press office to select reporters, meant to tarnish Collier’s reputation. The report compiled by the Integrity Unit of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) lists several allegedly against Collier, which he has denied. Even though reporters were warned that the documents were bogus, the Montgomery Advertiser and Decatur Daily published them anyway.
It is now believed that some of those individuals quoted in the report are cooperating with the Montgomery Special Grand Jury investigating Bentley and his alleged paramour, Rebekah Caldwell Mason.
According to those with direct knowledge of the events surrounding the false claims released by Bentley’s office, Mason decided what quotes would be used in the report and which reporters she felt would carry water for her without actually vetting the material.
The Decatur Daily article claims, “a copy of documents was provided to this newspaper by Bentley’s office upon request.”
However an ALEA officer said, “When has ALEA ever supplied information regarding an investigation, to anyone even under a Open Records Act request.” The officer further stated, “This is a law-enforcement matter, there are rules.”
One insider described Bentley’s actions as a war to destroy Collier by any means.
In July, Bentley testified for more than two hours before the Montgomery Special Grand Jury being conducted by Matt Hart, Division Chief of the Attorney General’s Special Prosecution Unit. The day before Bentley’s testimony his former body man Ray Lewis testified for a full day.
As one former member of Bentley’s security details stated, “Ray knows were all the bodies are buried.”
Why are Bentley and Mason so determined to ruin Collier? What do they have to gain? These are the questions now being asked within Bentley’s office and at ALEA.
The suspect document is now in the public domain, and the “Twitterverse” is finding it just another attempt by Bentley and Mason to punish the man who outed them to the State.
