Spencer Collier Responds to Grand Jury Decision
Former Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Spencer Collier has released a statement following the grand jury decision that cleared him of wrongdoing while in office.
The attorney general’s office has closed the investigation that had been requested by Gov. Robert Bentley’s administration. Bentley fired Collier in March saying a review found possible misuse of funds. The findings were then sent to the attorney general’s office.
In a statement released Friday, Collier says that while he feels vindicated this is really a sad day for the State of Alabama and in particular ALEA.
“It is now abundantly clear that the Governor and ALEA Secretary Stan Stabler used substantial state law enforcement resources as a political tool. The ALEA investigation was based on conjecture, rumors and false information. As a result, this investigation has called into serious question the integrity of the ALEA Integrity Unit,” Collier said.
Collier stated that he is very disappointed in the manner in which Secretary Stabler and the Integrity Unit conducted this investigation because it was not consistent with the high quality and procedures used by ALEA.
“It is unbelievable that Governor Bentley continues to support the ALEA investigation given the poor quality of the investigation, lack of first hand witnesses and the Attorney General’s determination that there was no credible basis for the initiation of a criminal inquiry in the first place. This further shows that the investigation was not a bona fide investigation but rather a personal attack to deflect attention away from the Governor’s own behavior,” Collier said.
Collier’s lawyer, Kenny Mendelsohn, stated that the Governor has given so many conflicting statements about Collier that it is hard to know where the Governor really stands. Mendelsohn also stated that he anticipates amending the complaint to add additional defendants and claims in Collier’s lawsuit. Collier stated that he looks forward to the witnesses being questioned under oath and to having his day in court.
(Copyright 2016 The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
