Bentley Weighed ‘Trickle-down Effect’ in Appointing Strange

When scandal-plagued former Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley appointed his state’s then-attorney general Luther Strange to the U.S. Senate, Bentley apparently considered it a good thing that he would get to name a new attorney general.

Strange’s appointment to fill Sen. Jeff Sessions’ seat came as Bentley faced an impeachment investigation by state lawmakers for the fallout of an alleged affair with a staffer. Strange had asked for a pause in the impeachment investigation so his office could do “related work

Bentley’s handwritten notes from interviews for the Senate job show that he considered the “trickle-down effect,” among other qualities, and observed that he would get to name Alabama’s next attorney general if he appointed Strange. Bentley ranked Strange highly in all categories.

The notes are now in the state archives.

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