Robert Bentley recently resigned as Alabama’s governor and pleaded guilty to two criminal charges after the scandal, which took seed just over a year ago, grew too large to contain.
The brouhaha included amorous text messages and phone calls to aide Rebekah Caldwell Mason, as well as the firing of Alabama’s secretary of law enforcement, Spencer Collier.
At a press conference in April 2016, Bentley issued an apology. In it, Bentley said, “I've asked God to forgive me, because that's the most important thing.”
However, a simple apology couldn’t whitewash a scandal that large.
On April 4, 2016, Alabama lawmakers began the process to impeach Bentley. The former governor lashed out on Twitter and called the move a “political attack”:
There are no grounds for impeachment, & I will vigorously defend myself & administration from this political attack. https://t.co/6yUH6APOeB
— Dr. Robert Bentley (@GovernorBentley) April 5, 2016
Details of the investigation made headlines in recent months, and on April 7, 2017, a lengthy report was released by the House Judiciary Committee's attorney.
On Monday, Bentley resigned as governor and reported to the Montgomery County Jail.
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For someone with so much public experience, Bentley hasn’t played his PR cards well.
Here are three PR lessons from his mistakes:
1. Don’t underestimate the power of journalism. In today’s digital world, 62 percent of adults get their news from social platforms. The number jumps to 82 percent when including online news channels. When the latest news stories are at our fingertips, Bentley could deny his allegations, but he could not hide from them. Journalists leave no stone unturned, and if there’s a controversy, it’s likely that key details will be uncovered.
2. Keep personal information safe. Bentley he dug his own PR grave with carelessness. For example, his phone slipped out of his hands mid-sext in front of police officers. Bad timing and missteps aside, there are many reasons to keep your personal info safe. A University of Alabama post reports:
Anyone who works with secure data and sensitive information faces the issue of mobile device security and has a responsibility to protect the business against security breaches... Since the use of mobile technology is only going to become more prolific in the future, executives must continue to address mobile device security.
Keep devices and sensitive information protected so they don’t fall into the wrong hands. Ensure that employees are protecting information and are actively involved in data security. Organize training sessions, make sure both hardware and software are up to date, and perform employee device audits.
3. Don’t play dumb. Bentley's initial reaction to the allegations destroyed any credibility he had. The Boston Herald published his response:
I love many members of my staff, in fact, all the members of my staff. Do I love some more than others, absolutely.
At a March 2016 news conference, Bentley added: “At times in the past, have I said things that I should not have said? Absolutely. That’s what I’m saying today.”
It’s no coincidence that Mason resigned after the allegations surfaced. When people in leadership roles play dumb, everyone loses.
When you make a mistake, be transparent. Don’t try to cover it up, because your reputation and more are at stake.
Robert Parmer is a freelance writer and student at Boise State University. Follow him on Twitter: @robparmer.
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