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HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

11 South Union Street Montgomery, Alabama 36130

Members

Mike Jones, Chair Jim Hill, Vice Chair Marcel Black, Ranking Minority Member Mike Ball Paul Beckman Merika Coleman Dickie Drake Chris England Allen Farley David Faulkner Matt Fridy Juandalynn Givan Mike Holmes Thad McClammy Phillip Pettus THE IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION OF GOVERNOR ROBERT BENTLEY PRE-HEARING SUBMISSION OF SPECIAL COUNSEL April 7, 2017 Jack Sharman Special Counsel Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC 400 20th Street North Birmingham, Alabama 35203

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................1

THE IMPEACHMENT RESOLUTION, HOUSE RULE 79.1, AND THE COMMITTEE RULES ............................................................................................4 THE INVESTIGATION ......................................................................................................6

Preliminary Considerations ..........................................................................6

I.A.

No Preconceptions. ..........................................................................6

B.

No Time or Subject-Matter Limits. .................................................6

C.

The Committee Is Not A Court. .......................................................7

D.

The Committee Retained Professional, Disinterested Staff To Conduct the Investigation: The Role of Special Counsel. ...............8

E.

Institutional Limitations on Legislative Investigations. ...................9

Due Process Considerations .........................................................................9

II.A.

Governor Bentley Has Had Fair Notice. ........................................11

B.

Governor Bentley Will Have the Opportunity To Be Heard by the Committee. ...............................................................................13

C.

Federal Constitutional Concerns Are Without Merit. ....................13

The Office of Governor is not private property. ................14

1.

By any standard, the Committee has afforded 2.Governor Bentley due process. ..........................................16

The Committee’s Subpoena Authority

......................................................18

III.A.

Why Subpoenas Were Necessary. .................................................18

B.

The Committee Has Subpoena Power. ..........................................19

This Committee has broad power to investigate. ...............19

1.

This Committee has been provided by the House full 2.investigative authority to investigate the impeachment charges. ..............................................................................21

ii The fact that the subpoena is directed at the Executive 3.does not lessen its force. ....................................................22

C.

Whether Styled a “Subpoena” or Otherwise, the House Can

Demand Documents in the Discharge of its Constitutional Duties. ............................................................................................23

The Committee’s

Investigation: Documents and Witnesses .....................24

IV.A.

Preservation Letters. ......................................................................24

B.

Document Requests. ......................................................................26

C.

Subpoenas. .....................................................................................26

D.

Transcribed Interviews Under Oath. ..............................................27

E.

Witnesses Who Declined to Provide Information. ........................27

Non-Cooperation By Governor Bentley ....................................................28

V.A.

Refusal to Meaningfully Produce Documents. ..............................28

B.

Refusal to Comply With the Committee’s Subpoena.

...................28

Governor Bentley asserted privilege in response to the 1.subpoena. ...........................................................................30

Blacked-out portions of documents produced. ..................31

2.a.

Timeline created by Governor Bentley and Mason is blacked out. ............................................31

b.

Text messages between Governor Bentley and ACEGov are blacked out. ......................................32

c.

Emails regarding Mason’s compensation are

blacked out. ............................................................32

Cell phones, state phones, and “burner” phones.

...............32

3.

Mason’s state email account.

.............................................32

4.

Governor Bentley’s email accounts.

..................................33

5.

Visitor Logs to the Governor’s Mansion.

..........................33

6.

Mason’s compensation information.

..................................34

7.