MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley is asking a court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by his former law enforcement secretary who publicly accused Bentley of having an affair with a staffer.

Bentley and current Law Enforcement Secretary Stan Stabler, in a joint filing last week, asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Spencer Collier.

Collier sued them in April, accusing Bentley of wrongly firing him and orchestrating a smear campaign against him to discredit him.

Lawyers for Bentley and Stabler said Collier hasn’t stated a viable claim and has “doubled down on his untenable theories.”

Bentley fired Collier in March. A day later, Collier accused Bentley of having an affair with a staffer. Bentley admitted making inappropriate remarks but said he did not have a sexual affair.