Changes

==Background==

==Background==

Hubbard was the class president at Hart County High School in his native Hartwell in northeastern [[Georgia]]. He beat [[Ralph Reed]], later the first executive director of the [[Christian Coalition]], to become the Georgia state champion in a high school speech contest.<ref name=newrepublic>{{cite news|author=Joe Miller|title=Is Mike Hubbard the Most Corrupt Politician in America?|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/133504/mike-hubbard-corrupt-politician-america|accessdate=May 21, 2016|publisher=''[[The New Republic]]''|date=May 16, 2016}}</ref>  Hubbard then attended the [[University of Georgia]] at Athens on a journalism scholarship.<ref name=pvs/> 

Hubbard was the class president at Hart County High School in his native Hartwell in northeastern [[Georgia]]. He beat [[Ralph Reed]], later the first executive director of the [[Christian Coalition]], to become the Georgia state champion in a high school speech contest.<ref name=newrepublic>{{cite news|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/133504/mike-hubbard-corrupt-politician-america|author=Joe Miller|title=Is Mike Hubbard the Most Corrupt Politician in America?|, 2016|accessdate=May 21, 2016|publisher=''[[The New Republic]]''</ref>  Hubbard then attended the [[University of Georgia]] at Athens on a journalism scholarship.<ref name=pvs/> 

==Business career==

==Business career==

In 1996, Hubbard worked in public relations to elect Republican [[Bob Riley]] to fill Alabama's 3rd congressional district seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref name=newrepublic/>  Two years later, Hubbard won his first term in the Alabama state House. In 2002, Riley was elected [[governor]] and thereafter made Representative Hubbard the state party chairman. Hubbard grew close to the governor and even named his younger son, "Riley."<ref name=corruptgop/>

In 1996, Hubbard worked in public relations to elect Republican [[Bob Riley]] to fill Alabama's 3rd congressional district seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref name=newrepublic/>  Two years later, Hubbard won his first term in the Alabama state House. In 2002, Riley was elected [[governor]] and thereafter made Representative Hubbard the state party chairman. Hubbard grew close to the governor and even named his younger son, "Riley."<ref name=corruptgop/>

To win the House majority, Hubbard employed a program called "A Republican Handshake with Alabama," which promised immigration controls, spending cuts, a state constitutional amendment defining conception as the beginning of human life, and new ethics legislation, which the GOP claimed was needed because of earlier felony convictions of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] former Governor Don Siegelman. Along with the new Republican majority in the House, the GOP elected [[Robert Bentley]] to succeed Governor Riley, and the party acquired the majority in the state Senate. In a special session in December 2002, Hubbard' obtained passage of the pledged ethics reforms. Hubbard doubled the budget of the Speaker to nearly $900,000 and assumed an aggressive political stance.<ref>{{cite news|author=Joe Miller|title=How a Corrupt GOP Is Running Alabama Into the Ground|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/133660/corrupt-gop-running-alabama-ground|accessdate=24 May 2016|publisher=''The New Republic''|date=May 23, 2016|accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

To win the House majority, Hubbard employed a program called "A Republican Handshake with Alabama," which promised immigration controls, spending cuts, a state constitutional amendment defining conception as the beginning of human life, and new ethics legislation, which the GOP claimed was needed because of earlier felony convictions of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] former Governor Don Siegelman. Along with the new Republican majority in the House, the GOP elected [[Robert Bentley]] to succeed Governor Riley, and the party acquired the majority in the state Senate. In a special session in December 2002, Hubbard' obtained passage of the pledged ethics reforms. Hubbard doubled the budget of the Speaker to nearly $900,000 and assumed an aggressive political stance.<ref>{{cite news|author=Joe Miller|title=How a Corrupt GOP Is Running Alabama Into the Ground|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/133660/corrupt-gop-running-alabama-ground|publisher=''The New Republic''|date=May 23, 2016|accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

In May 2011, ''Governing Magazine''' named Hubbard one of seventeen "GOP Legislators to Watch" on a national level. The recipients of the honor were chosen on the basis of ambition, leadership, and political potential.<ref name=ballotpedia>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Mike_Hubbard|title=Mike Hubbard|publisher=Ballotpedia.org|accessdate=November 1, 2017}}</ref>

In May 2011, ''Governing Magazine''' named Hubbard one of seventeen "GOP Legislators to Watch" on a national level. The recipients of the honor were chosen on the basis of ambition, leadership, and political potential.<ref name=ballotpedia>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Mike_Hubbard|title=Mike Hubbard|publisher=Ballotpedia.org|accessdate=November 1, 2017}}</ref>

In 2013, Alabama Republicans approved House Bill 56, which authorized police to stop, search, and arrest those believed to be illegal immigrants, but the measure was soon declared unconstitutional by the federal courts.<ref>{{cite news|name=David Noriega|title=Alabama's Draconian Anti-Immigrant Law Dies With A Whimper|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/davidnoriega/alabamas-draconian-anti-immigrant-law-dies-with-a-whimper|accessdate=May 21, 2016|work=''Buzzfeed''|date=November 3, 2014}}</ref>  Hubbard also pushed to passage voter identification laws and the closing of driver's license offices in the poorest counties in the state.<ref name=corruptgop/>

In 2013, Alabama Republicans approved House Bill 56, which authorized police to stop, search, and arrest those believed to be illegal immigrants, but the measure was soon declared unconstitutional by the federal courts.<ref>{{cite news|name=David Noriega|title=Alabama's Draconian Anti-Immigrant Law Dies With A Whimper|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/davidnoriega/alabamas-draconian-anti-immigrant-law-dies-with-a-whimper|accessdate=May 21, 2016|work=Buzzfeed.com|date=November 3, 2014}}</ref>  Hubbard also pushed to passage voter identification laws and the closing of driver's license offices in the poorest counties in the state.<ref name=corruptgop/>

In 2012, Hubbard wrote a book about the Republican surge in Alabama entitled ''Storming The State House: The Campaign That Liberated Alabama from 136 Years of Democrat Rule.''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.al.com/live/2012/06/four_revelations_from_alabama.html|title=Four revelations from ''Storming the State House''|author=George Talbot|date= June 20, 2012|publisher=''The Birmingham News''|accessdate=November 1, 2017}}</ref>  

In 2012, Hubbard wrote a book about the Republican surge in Alabama entitled ''Storming The State House: The Campaign That Liberated Alabama from 136 Years of Democrat Rule.''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.al.com/live/2012/06/four_revelations_from_alabama.html|title=Four revelations from ''Storming the State House''|author=George Talbot|date= June 20, 2012|publisher=''The Birmingham News''|accessdate=November 1, 2017}}</ref>  

In 2013, the Alabama legislature established a scholarship that assists middle class and wealthy families in sending their children to private schools. The program was managed by Hubbard's mentor, former Governor Bob Riley.<ref name=corruptgop/>

In 2013, the Alabama legislature established a scholarship that assists middle class and wealthy families in sending their children to private schools. The program was managed by Hubbard's mentor, former Governor Bob Riley.<ref name=corruptgop/>

Hubbard had no private sector employment after he became Speaker, a part-time position that paid $60,000. His wife, Susan, earned $150,00 as a dean at Auburn University.<ref name=corruptgop/>  Riley meanwhile helped Hubbard acquire a position paying $12,000 per month as a consultant with the Southeast Alabama Gas District.<ref name=newrepublic/>

Hubbard had no private sector employment after he became Speaker, a part-time position that paid $60,000. His wife, Susan, earned $150,00 as a dean at Auburn University.<ref name=corruptgop/>  Riley, meanwhile, helped Hubbard acquire a position paying $12,000 per month as a consultant with the Southeast Alabama Gas District.<ref name=newrepublic/>

===Investigations===

===Investigations===

At the time of Hubbard's trial, [[impeachment]] proceedings began against Governor Bentley, and the [[conservative]] Roy Moore was suspended for a second time as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court regarding his opposition to county clerks being compelled to issue same-sex marriage licenses.<ref>{{cite news |author=

At the time of Hubbard's trial, [[impeachment]] proceedings began against Governor Bentley, and the [[conservative]] Roy Moore was suspended for a second time as chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court regarding his opposition to county clerks being compelled to issue same-sex marriage licenses.<ref>{{cite news |author=

Campbell Robertson|title=Scandals Embroil Alabama Governor, Speaker and Chief Justice |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/17/us/alabama-robert-bentley-michael-hubbard-roy-moore.html?_r=0|accessdate=May 21, 2016 |publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=May 16, 2016 |pages=A9}}</ref> In a special election on September 2017, Moore defeated Luther Strange in a bid for the Republican nomination to succeed [[U.S. Senator]] [[Jeff Sessions]], who had joined the [[Donald Trump|Trump]] administration as [[United States Attorney General]].

Campbell Robertson|title=Scandals Embroil Alabama Governor, Speaker and Chief Justice |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/17/us/alabama-robert-bentley-michael-hubbard-roy-moore.html?_r=0 |publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=May 16, 2016 |pages=A9|accessdate=May 21, 2016}}</ref> In a special election on September 2017, Moore defeated Luther Strange in a bid for the Republican nomination to succeed [[U.S. Senator]] [[Jeff Sessions]], who had joined the [[Donald Trump|Trump]] administration as [[United States Attorney General]].

===Guilty on twelve counts===

===Guilty on twelve counts===

After seven hours of deliberations on June 10, 2016, the jury found Hubbard guilty on twelve of the twenty-three charges. He was taken into custody but released on a $160,000 bond. On July 8, 2016, he was sentenced to "four years in prison, eight years on probation and ordered to pay a $210,000 fine on the twelve felony ethics violations."<ref>{{cite news |author=Mike Cason|title=Former Alabama speaker Mike Hubbard sentenced to 4 years in prison |url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/07/former_alabama_speaker_mike_hu.html |date=July 8, 2016 |accessdate=November 3, 2016 |publisher=AL.com}}</ref> Then on August 5, Hubbard filed a motion seeking either acquittal, or dismissal of the charges, or a new trial. Hubbard claims that  "the state presented faulty expert testimony about the ethics law."<ref>{{cite news |name=Mike Cason|title=Former Alabama Speaker Mike Hubbard seeks new trial |url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/08/former_alabama_speaker_mike_hu_1.html |date=August 7, 2016 |accessdate=November 3, 2017|publisher=AL.com}}</ref>

After seven hours of deliberations on June 10, 2016, the jury found Hubbard guilty on twelve of the twenty-three charges. He was taken into custody but released on a $160,000 bond. On July 8, 2016, he was sentenced to "four years in prison, eight years on probation and ordered to pay a $210,000 fine on the twelve felony ethics violations."<ref>{{cite news |author=Mike Cason|title=Former Alabama speaker Mike Hubbard sentenced to 4 years in prison |url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/07/former_alabama_speaker_mike_hu.html |date=July 8, 2016 |accessdate=November 3, 2016 |publisher=AL.com}}</ref> Then on August 5, Hubbard filed a motion seeking either acquittal, or dismissal of the charges, or a new trial. Hubbard claims that  "the state presented faulty expert testimony about the ethics law."<ref>{{cite web|url=url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/08/former_alabama_speaker_mike_hu_1.html|author=

Mike Cason|title=Former Alabama Speaker Mike Hubbard seeks new trial|publisher=AL.com|date=August 7, 2016 |accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

Hubbard filed a request to have the state investigate possible misconduct by the jurors who convicted him. On September 2, 2016, Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker denied that request. The state proposed that Hubbard pay  $1,125,000 in restitution,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alreporter.com/tag/rep-greg-wren/|title=States Seeks Restitution from Disgraced Speaker Hubbard|publisher=Alreporter.com|date=August 8, 2016|author=Bill Britt|accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref> but Judge Walker denied the requst, and Hubbard remained free on bond.<ref name=bond>{{cite news |author=Mike Cason|title=Judge denies Mike Hubbard request for sheriff's investigation of jurors |url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/09/judge_denies_mike_hubbard_requ.html |date=September 2, 2016 |publisher=AL.com}}</ref>

Hubbard filed a request to have the state investigate possible misconduct by the jurors who convicted him. On September 2, 2016, Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob Walker denied that request. The state proposed that Hubbard pay  $1,125,000 in restitution,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.alreporter.com/tag/rep-greg-wren/|title=States Seeks Restitution from Disgraced Speaker Hubbard|publisher=Alreporter.com|date=August 8, 2016|author=Bill Britt|accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref> but Judge Walker denied the requst, and Hubbard remained free on bond.<ref name=bond>{{cite web|url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/09/judge_denies_mike_hubbard_requ.html|author=Mike Cason|title=Judge denies Mike Hubbard request for sheriff's investigation of jurors|publisher=AL.com|date=September 2, 2016|accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

===Still free on bond===

===Still free on bond===