Committee begins impeachment probe into Alabama governor

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – A legislative committee will investigate if there are grounds to impeach Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley.

The House Judiciary Committee meets Wednesday morning. Committee members are expected to discuss how they will proceed in the coming months.

Twenty-three members of the House of Representatives in April signed impeachment articles against Bentley, triggering the probe. The articles accused Bentley of corruption and neglect of duty. The push came in the wake of a sex-tinged scandal involving a former gubernatorial aide.

Lawyers for the governor have asked for the right to cross-examine any witnesses who testify and suggested lawmakers who signed impeachment articles should recuse themselves from the probe.

The committee will make a recommendation to the House of Representatives.

An ethics conviction triggered the removal of Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard from office just last week.