ALGOP Chair: Bentley exited 'conservative lane' with tax plan, but 'believes in his heart' he is right

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, right, and Attorney General Luther Strange listen to Alabama Ethics Commission Director Judge John Carroll during an ethics training session at the Capitol Auditorium in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015. (Photo: Governor's Office, Jamie Martin) — Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, right, and Attorney General Luther Strange listen to Alabama Ethics Commission Director Judge John Carroll during an ethics training session at the Capitol Auditorium in Montgomery, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015. (Photo: Governor’s Office, Jamie Martin)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala — During an on-air conversation with Alabama Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan on Thursday, talk radio host Matt Murphy said the ALGOP should consider removing Governor Robert Bentley (R) from the Party for his push to raise taxes by $541 million.

“I understand that if you want to be a Republican in good standing, then you are expected to not necessarily be in agreement on every singular issue that might come up, but be in basic agreement with certain Party principles,” said Murphy. “Toward that end, I think it’s time for the Alabama GOP to consider whether or not to boot Governor Robert Bentley out of the Party.”

“Now, this is the awkward part you were talking about earlier, right?” Lathan joked.

Earlier this week, Lathan penned a letter to the governor, Senate President Pro Tem, and the House Speaker urging them to work together to solve the General Fund Budget shortfall without raising taxes.

But on Thursday, she stopped well short of agreeing with Murphy that the Governor should be removed from the Party.

“You know, once they’re elected, we let the people make these decisions,” she said. “The Party doesn’t pick these elected officials, we’re just a venue for these people to get on the ballot, and we want people to be on our team.”

“Well, do we want people to be on our team if they stand against the principles that the Party represents?” Murphy shot back.

“We want them to represent the principles of the Party, no question about that.” Lathan replied.

Murphy continued pressing the recently elected chairwoman by asking what the Party would do, hypothetically, if the Governor came out in favor of abortion, another position that would be out of line with the Party’s principles.

“I know that’s an extreme example,” he said, “but what he’s doing with regard to taxation is pretty extreme, too.”

Lathan replied that Republicans would like for their elected officials to stay in the “conservative lane,” but said it is up to the voters to make their voices heard if they do not like the direction the Governor is trying to take the state.

“I have spoken with Governor Bentley,” she said. “We had a wonderful meeting right after I got elected, and I listened, and I have to tell you, he really, really, really believes in his heart… this is the right thing to do. That doesn’t necessarily mean I think it is, or you think it is, or other people think it is, but he really believes it.”

Using Lathan’s highway analogy, Murphy asked if she thinks Gov. Bentley’s statement that he will not accept anything less than $541 million in tax increases “gets out of the lane of mainstream Republican thought.”

“It’s off an exit ramp of that lane a little bit,” she replied. “But exit ramps… they go back on the Interstate, too.”