Alabama Gov. Denies Having Affair With Top Female Aide, but Leaked Audio Seems to Suggest Otherwise [+video]

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) denied on Wednesday having a physical affair with a top female aide, but admitted to making inappropriate remarks to her shortly before audio of the sexually suggestive conversation was published online.

The two-term Republican governor, a former Baptist deacon, acknowledged in a conciliatory news conference that he said “some inappropriate things” to his senior political adviser, Rebekah Caldwell Mason.

“I made a mistake. Two years ago I made a mistake,” Bentley said, adding that he had previously apologized to his family and to Mason and her family. “Today I want to apologize to the people of the state of Alabama and once again, I want to apologize to my family. I am truly sorry and I accept full responsibility.”

Shortly after, the Alabama Media Group published a 2014 recording it said was of Bentley telling Mason how much he enjoyed his relationship with her.