Steve Marshall was sworn in as Alabama's new attorney general yesterday.
Marshall took the oath of office yesterday afternoon in Montgomery. Late last week, Gov. Robert Bentley named Marshall, the long-time district attorney of Marshall County, to the position. It had been vacant since Bentley appointed former Attorney General Luther Strange to the U.S. Senate.
At his swearing-in, Marshall said fighting public corruption and combating human trafficking would be among his top priorities.
Marshall says he understands the potential questions regarding his appointment and any potential investigation of Gov. Bentley. The new attorney general said he would recuse himself from any direct investigation of Bentley.
Marshall would then most likely appoint an acting attorney general. During the investigation of former House Speaker Mike Hubbard, Luther Strange recused himself and appointed former St. Clair County District Attorney Van Davis as acting attorney general.
As for Bentley, it’s unclear where an investigation stands. In November, then-Attorney General Luther Strange asked a legislative committee to pause an impeachment investigation of Bentley while his office pursued "related work." Marshall says he doesn’t yet know what that work was.