Mike Hubbard verdict: Guilty on 12 counts of public corruption
A jury on Friday found Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard guilty on 12 counts of public corruption — agreeing with prosecutors’ assertions that the powerful Republican used the influence and prestige of his political offices to benefit his companies and clients. The verdict automatically removes the powerful Republican from both the Legislature and the speaker’s office, ending the upward trajectory of the one-time GOP star whose career previously appeared to have no limits. Hubbard spoke briefly with his attorneys before being escorted from the courtroom by a sheriff’s deputy. “We hope this verdict tonight restores some of the confidence in the people of the state of Alabama that public officials at all levels in the state of Alabama will be held accountable for their actions, especially those that would betray the public trust,” said W. Van Davis, the acting attorney general in the case. The jury, which arrived at the verdict after nearly seven hours of deliberation, acquitted Hubbard on 11 other counts. The conviction of the Republican politician comes amid a season of scandal in Alabama that has engulfed Republicans at the helm of the legislative, judicial and executive branches of government. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore faces possible ouster from office over accusations that he violated canons of judicial ethics during the fight over same-sex marriage. And Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has faced calls for his impeachment after a sex-tinged scandal involving a former top aide. Prosecutors accused Hubbard of using his political offices as speaker and as former chairman of the Alabama Republican Party to try to obtain $2.3 million in work and investments. The charges included that he directed GOP campaign work to his printing company; solicited investments and help to find employment from lobbyists and company executives; and used the power of his office to benefit his clients through legislative action or lobbying the governor’s office. Hubbard since his indictment in 2014 had steadfastly maintained his innocence. His defense argued that the transactions were legal and within the bounds of the state ethics law and its exemptions for normal business dealings and friendships. His defense noted that the transactions involved people who were longtime friends. The Republican speaker took the witness stand in his own defense. “Never,” he replied when his defense lawyer asked if he had used his office for personal gain. Prosecutors and defense lawyers in closing arguments gave jurors dueling portraits of Hubbard, a man who helped guide Republicans’ rise to prominence in Alabama. “This man right here loved power. I think you could sense that through his testimony. It was all about power and it was all about greed,” Davis told jurors in closing arguments. “It was never enough for Mike Hubbard.” Defense lawyer Bill Baxley, himself a former Democratic attorney general in Alabama, told jurors in closing arguments that the charges brought by the attorney general’s office against Hubbard were “flimsy” and “absurd.” “What you heard from that witness stand is not proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Mike Hubbard did anything,” Baxley said. “He didn’t use his office in any shape, form or fashion to try to get hired.” Hubbard, in a twist of political irony, was convicted under an ethics law he once championed. He was the general of Republicans’ 2010 offensive to win control of the Alabama Legislature for the first time since Reconstruction. After the victory, Hubbard was elected speaker and the new GOP-controlled legislature approved revisions to the state’s ethics law in a special session called by the governor. Deputies took Hubbard to the Lee County jail Friday evening, a detention center not far from Mike Hubbard Boulevard, a road named after the local legislator. Hubbard faces up to 20 years in prison for each ethics count. Sentencing is set for July 8. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Retired Alabama ethics chief: Mike Hubbard often got ‘the drill’
The retired director of the Alabama Ethics Commission testified Tuesday that he often gave “the drill” to House Speaker Mike Hubbard, cautioning him about actions that would violate the state’s ethics law. Prosecutors called Jim Sumner to give jurors a tutorial on the law and to try to show that Hubbard willfully ignored his advice. Sumner said Hubbard often sought informal ethics advice from him or general counsel Hugh Evans. He testified that they generally told Hubbard his consulting contracts would be legal as long as he didn’t use the “mantle of his office” to benefit his clients and businesses. “We always got to the point: I would say, or Hugh would say, ‘You remember the drill. You can’t use your position to benefit yourself, your business or your family,’” Sumner said. Hubbard’s defense has made a point of saying that he sought ethical guidance and followed the law. But informal opinions don’t provide the legal protection Hubbard might have received had he sought formal opinions from the five-member Ethics Commission. And unlike his private conversations with Sumner and Evans, commission opinions are a matter of public record. Hubbard is charged with 23 felony counts of violating the ethics law by using his positions as speaker and state GOP chairman to solicit a total of $2.3 million in work, investments and financial favors. Hubbard has maintained his innocence and said the transactions were within the law’s exemptions for normal business dealings and longstanding friendships. Sumner said the law forbids public officials from: – using their offices to benefit businesses with which they are associated; – soliciting things with monetary value from lobbyists or their employers; – and being paid to lobby. Hubbard is accused of doing all three. Sumner said there is an exemption for longstanding friendships, so that people who had “known each other all their lives” could do things like go on vacation together without violating the law. Hubbard is expected to argue that the friendship exemption applies to his deals with former Gov. Bob Riley, now a lobbyist. Hubbard named his younger son Riley, and has described the former governor as his political mentor. A number of powerful corporation owners and executives were called to testify Tuesday about $150,000 investments they each made in Hubbard’s printing company, Craftmaster. Jon Sanderson, the former chief financial officer at Sterne Agee Group, Inc., testified that his CEO whispered during a meeting that he needed a $150,000 check made out to Craftmaster “right now.” Hubbard isn’t the only Alabama Republican in trouble. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley faces impeachment after a scandal over his relationship with an aide, and Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is suspended and could be removed from office for allegedly violating judicial ethics in the fight over same-sex marriage. Republished with permission of The Associated Press
Consultant: ‘No choice’ but to subcontract to Mike Hubbard
A Florida political consultant testified Thursday that he believed he had no choice but to subcontract Alabama Republican Party campaign printing work back to a firm owned by the party’s chair. The chair at the time was Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, now on trial for ethics violations. On Thursday, jurors heard that about party campaign work that was sent to Hubbard’s company, and conflicting evidence about Hubbard’s role in that. Prosecutors have accused Hubbard of using his political positions as speaker and Republican Party chair to make money and solicit favors such as investments from lobbyists. Defense lawyers argue that the transactions were above board. Randy Kammerdiner, co-owner of Majority Strategies, designed glossy direct mail pieces for the Republicans’ 2010 campaign to take over the Alabama Legislature. He testified that he believed party officials wanted the fliers printed at Craftmaster, where Hubbard was a co-owner. Prosecutor Matt Hart asked Kammerdiner if he felt he had any other option but Craftmaster for the printing work. “No,” Kammerdiner replied. Prosecutors also showed jurors a 2010 email from Kammerdiner to a state party employee, which said: “Per Mike, we’re printing at Craftmaster and just passing the actual charges on to you all.” However, under cross-examination by defense lawyer Lance Bell, Kammerdiner said Hubbard never directed him to use his firm. “I never had a specific conversation with Mike Hubbard saying I had to use Craftmaster.” Kammerdiner said. The political consultant also testified that the firm had previously used Craftmaster before Hubbard became party chair and the party was probably getting a “better deal” because they avoided the normal markup Majority Strategies applies to printing costs. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
