Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s lawyers filed a motion to withdraw from his ethics case.
Hubbard’s attorney, Mark White, requested his law firm, White Arnold & Dowd, be allowed to withdraw from the case in a motion filed under seal Thursday, Dec. 31, in the Lee County Circuit Court.
Although no reason was given for the motion, White cited the provisions of rule 6.2 of the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct.
Rule 6.2 states a lawyer should not accept an appointment if representing a client is an “unreasonable financial burden” or the client “is so repugnant to the lawyer” that they cannot honestly represent the client.
White issued a statement to The Associated Press that said the decision was unrelated to the merits of the case and declined to comment if it was for financial reasons.
Lee County Judge Jacob A. Walker ordered the motion unsealed.
Hubbard was indicted for 23 ethics law violations in 2014. A trial is tentatively scheduled to begin in March.
The liberal-leaning political news website, the Alabama Political Reporter, posted the motion and Walker’s order to unseal the motion.
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