MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — Senator Cam Ward-R appointed a four member subcommittee Wednesday to establish Senate rules for impeachment. Sen. Phil Williams-R said there currently are no rules in existence for such proceedings.
“The last thing we need to do is be the Senate body that takes up one of the most substantive and deliberative and absolutely important and necessary issues of our day and not be ready if it got here,” said Williams.
The decision comes as the House Judiciary Committee awaits approval from the state attorney general’s office to resume their investigation into Governor Robert Bentley. Recently appointed Attorney General Steve Marshall recused himself from an apparent investigation of the governor by the attorney general’s office.
Williams said if impeachment proceedings made their way up to the Senate from the House, there are currently no procedures in place to govern how the Senate would conduct itself in that regard.
“Are there rules of evidence that apply? Are there any stipulations as to what the decorum in the body would be at the time of presentation? Are we sure that the presiding chief justice would preside over the Senate that day?” asked Williams.
The subcommittee has been given the task of answering those and other questions.
“If it were to happen – if, and it’s still a big if – but if it were to happen, it would be in my opinion the single largest political event to take place in this state in my lifetime,” said Williams.
“At the end of the day, you want a fair, judicious process. One that people can look at and say — win or lose — it was conducted in a fair manner. No political witch hunts but done in a way that based upon the law and the duties that all these people have been sworn in office to take,” said Ward.
Williams added that the formation of the subcommittee is not a reflection of the status of the governor or the proceedings in the House. He said rather it is out of a desire for the body of the Senate to be ready.
Governor Robert Bentley has been accused of mismanaging campaign funds by using the money to pay for the legal fees of his former aide, Rebekah Mason.
Ward appointed a bipartisan subcommittee of four members and set a soft deadline of April for the subcommittee’s recommendation. The members of the subcommittee include: Sen. Phil Williams-R (Chairman), Sen. Greg Albritton-R, Sen. Bobby Singleton-D and Sen. Hank Sanders-D.
The first meeting will take place Thursday, February 23, just 30 minutes before the legislative session begins.