Prosecutors revealed the first bits of evidence against Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard in a filing with Lee County Circuit Court on Friday, Feb. 27.
Hubbard was indicted on 23 counts of ethics violations by a Lee County grand jury in October 2014.
W. Van Davis, acting attorney general in the case, filed the document in response to Hubbard’s defense lawyers requesting a more detailed statement on the charges against him.
Emails from Hubbard from 2011-13 are included in the filing, which was first reported by AL.com.
The filings lays out a case that Hubbard faced financial troubles after being elected Speaker in 2010.
“Hubbard was motivated by his financial problems, including the loss of his employment with IMG, to solicit lobbyists and principals for things of value (i.e, consulting contracts for Auburn Network, financial favors, etc.),” Van Davis said in the filing. “Hubbard’s solicitation of persons with interests before the Alabama Legislature was also directly related to his service as a public official.”
Mark White, Hubbard’s lawyer, said in a statement the filing’s timing before the start of the 2015 legislative session was questionable.
“Today's filing is bizarre, improper and non-responsive,” White said. “It is more argument and political statement than pleading. It is replete with false statements and empty rhetoric. Apparently designed to further mislead the public, the filing demonstrates a basic lack of knowledge about the state ethics laws and the relevant facts in this matter.”
One of the charges against Hubbard involve what prosecutor said was an “investment scheme” in Craftmaster, a printing company partially owned by Hubbard.
Prosecutors said Craftmaster failed to pay employee withholdings tax in 2011 and was in debt.
Hubbard asked Will Brooke, a board member of the Business Council of Alabama and a 2014 Republican primary candidate for Alabama’s U.S. House of Representatives 6th District, for help, according to the filing.
“I will be anxious to hear your thoughts, but I believe if I take the reins of the business, rise [sic] the capital necessary to eliminate the debt – and most importantly take care of the tax debt – I can turn the company [Craftmaster] around,” Hubbard said in a 2012 email. “Failure is not an option as it means personal and political ruin.”
Hubbard said in another email if he did not solve his financial problems he would be forced to resign from the Alabama Legislature.
Brooke put together a $1.5 million investment plan, in which he invested $150,000 personally, to repay Craftmaster’s debt.
Prosecutors said the investment plan violated the Alabama Ethics Law.
Great Southern Wood CEO and Auburn Board of Trustees President Pro Tempore Jimmy Rane also paid $150,000 into the investment plan, according to the filing.
Prosecutors also said Hubbard asked former Gov. Bob Riley for a job. Riley never hired Hubbard, but did offer him some advice.
“From now on you and I are going to be suspect in everything we do,” Riley said in an email. “However, the ability to make great change is given to few people, and you are one of the rare ones that can make it happen. Again, question now is DO YOU ‘WANT’ to be Gov ---- or --- make a lot of money: good thing is you could do either but I am not sure it's possible to do both.”
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
