Amid a public scandal that included allegations of an affair with a senior advisor and the misuse of state funds, Bentley, aka the “Luv Guv,” stepped down from his governorship after cutting a deal with state lawmakers. Bentley agreed to forfeit his retirement benefits, pay $50,000 in fines, and perform 100 hours of community service.
Bentley’s departure comes at a bad time for Alabamans who want to see gaming expanded in the state. In an executive order last year, Bentley declared that local police agencies, not the state, should decide how to regulate gambling.
One of just six states in the US without a lottery, Bentley had advocated for the authorization of games of chance in order to raise money for the state. The governor, who was in his second term, said he had done everything in his power to cut spending, but expenditures continued to outweigh tax income.