Church Expels Alabama Gov. and Female Staff Member over Alleged Affair

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Mar 29, 2016

Church Expels Alabama Gov. and Female Staff Member over Alleged Affair

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and a female member of his staff have been expelled from the First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa for an alleged affair.

According to Christian Today, Bentley, who was also a deacon at the church, was accused of having an affair with female staff member Rebekah Mason.

"While church discipline is a church family matter, both Governor Robert Bentley and Mrs. Rebekah Mason are no longer members of First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa. I continue to pray for each of them," Gil McKee, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church, told Christian News Network on Friday.

Spencer Collier, who was recently fired by Bentley from his position as secretary of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, accused Bentley of the affair, stating that he heard a recorded conversation Bentley had with Mason in which Bentley make sexually explicit remarks.

"I love you. I love to talk to you. Baby, let me tell you what we're going to have to start doing, we're going to have to start locking the door,” Bentley says in the recording. “If we are going to do what we did the other day, we are going to have to start locking the door."

Although Bentley denied that he had a “physical affair with Mrs. Mason,” he also said, "I made a mistake. Two years ago I made a mistake. ... I have apologised many times to my family. I have apologised to the family of Mrs. Mason. I would now like to apologise to the people of Alabama. I ask them to forgive me. I've been told about the possibility of tapes for two years.”

State Auditor Jim Ziegler filed a complaint against Bentley with the Alabama Ethics Commission. Bentley said he will comply with the investigation, although he refused to resign as governor.

Publication date: March 29, 2016



Church Expels Alabama Gov. and Female Staff Member over Alleged Affair