Mike Hubbard trial day 5: Hubbard didn’t seek approval before making deals, former ethics chief testifies
In the long-awaited trial of indicted Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, more than 20 witnesses were called during the first four days of trial last week. Fellow legislators, business partners, politicians and state executives testified about their knowledge of Hubbard’s actions, providing testimony for many of the 23 charges Hubbard faces. The state endeavors to prove Hubbard used his office for personal gain and used his position as Speaker of the House, and formerly as chair of the Alabama Republican Party, to solicit jobs and investments in businesses with which he was involved. A conviction on any one of the charges would remove the speaker from office. The charges carry potential sentences of two to 20 years and fines of up to $30,000 for each count. The trial resumed Tuesday after the long Memorial Day weekend as prosecutors called Jon Sanderson, a financial officer for investment firm Sterne Agee from 2012 until March 2016. Sanderson testified to writing a check in November 2012 to Hubbard’s company Craftmaster on behalf of the Sterne Agee Group for $150,000, explaining he was instructed by CEO Jim Holbrook to write the check during a meeting. “During the meeting, Mr. Holbrook slid a piece of paper over to me that had Craftmaster Inc. written on it and he whispered to me that he needed a check written for $150,000 right then,” Sanderson explained. Sanderson said the incident was “not totally out of the ordinary.” Later in the morning, former Ethics Commission Director Jim Sumner was an expert witness on the ethics law. Sumner testified that Hubbard did not notify or seek advice from the Alabama Ethics Commission regarding consulting contracts he held with the American Pharmacy Cooperative Inc., Edgenuity and Capitol Cups. “I did not know about those companies until I saw the indictment,” Sumner said of Hubbard’s contracts with Edgenuity and Capitol Cups. Next, executive vice president of the online learning company, Edgenuity, Michael Humphrey, testified part of the reason his company hired Hubbard as a consultant was due to his position as a lawmaker. “I would say part of the reason was that he’s a legislator,” said Humphrey. “He was a legislator with the ability to work outside Alabama. I wanted to take advantage of his relationships.” Humphrey clarified the company never intended to use Hubbard’s consulting services within the state of Alabama. The trial continues Wednesday. Witnesses expected on Wednesday: Billy Canary: Business Council of Alabama president and CEO Dax Swatek: lobbyist Bob Riley: former governor of Alabama Minda Riley Campbell: daughter of former Gov. Bob Riley Robert Bentley: Governor of Alabama Greg Canfield: Department of Commerce secretary
Mike Hubbard trial Day 1: Opening statements & first witnesses
Nineteen months in the making, after a grand jury charged him with 23 felony ethics violations, Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard finally had his day in court on Tuesday. Whether he wanted it or not. The day began at 9 a.m. as the courtroom began to fill with reporters and interested observers. At 10 a.m. the jury was seated. Prosecutor Matt Hart has arrived in courtroom. Hubbard and defense team have stepped out. Not sure when this will start. #alpolitics — Mike Cason (@MikeCasonAL) May 24, 2016 Shortly after the Attorney General’s Special Prosecution Division Chief, Matt Hart, gave opening statements for the prosecution, where he gave a detailed lesson on how the Alabama state government works, what are ethics laws and why they exist, followed by a charge-by-charge explanation of charges against Hubbard. His opening took approximately one hour and 40 minutes. Deputy Attorney General Matt Hart opens the case against Speaker Mike Hubbard in court on Tuesday, May 24, 2016, in Opelika, Ala. Hart is facing Mike Hubbard, right, and attorney Lance Bell, left. [Photo Credit: Todd Van Emst] “Mr. Hubbard asked things he was not allowed to ask and took things he was not allowed to take,” Hart said in his opening arguments. Hubbard faces a 23-count indictment on felony ethics charges alleging he used his office for personal gain and used his position as Speaker of the House, and formerly as chair of the Alabama Republican Party, to solicit jobs and investments in businesses with which he was involved. Hart went on to explain that before the 2010 election, as the Party chairman, Hubbard directed Party business to a printing company he owned, Craftmaster, as well as a media company Hubbard founded, the Auburn Network. According to Hart’s opening statement, Hubbard directed Party officials to send $101,925 in business directly to Craftmaster and $41,835 to Auburn Network. “If you just saw a check going to Majority Strategies, you wouldn’t know,” Hart explained. Following Hart, former Attorney General Bill Baxley presented the opening statements for the Defense for roughly an hour and 15 minutes, where he called the charges against Hubbard “gobbledy-goop” and “mumbo jumbo.” Hubbard attorney Bill Baxley attacked the Speaker’s indictment as “unintelligible,” “mumbo-jumbo” and “gobbledygook.” (2) #alpolitics — Brian Lyman (@lyman_brian) May 24, 2016 Baxley claimed Hubbard went out of his way to make sure he followed ethics laws by actively seeking guidance from the Ethics Commission. “He tried to follow every part. He tried to get them to tell him to make sure he knew where the line was,” Baxley told the courtroom. After the opening remarks, jurors heard testimony from the first two witnesses in the case, John Ross and Tim Howe, both former state GOP officials who are now partners in the Montgomery-based lobbying firm of Swatek, Howe and Ross. Testimony resumes at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Witnesses expected on Wednesday: Barry Whatley: president of Craftmaster Josh Blades: Hubbard’s former Chief of Staff Jason Isbell: Hubbard’s former legal adviser Jeff Woodard: clerk of the House Steve Clouse: Alabama representative, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee
