Changes

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 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 web|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 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 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 web|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, 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 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 web|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, Speaker Hubbard voted to require school districts to schedule a longer summer break for public school pupils. That same year he voted to exclude [[insurance]] policies from covering elective [[abortion]]s. In 2013, he voted to establish health care standards for abortuaries  in Alabama. In 2014, he supported the bill to prohibit abortion after the detection of the heartbeat of the unborn child. He voted to display the [[Ten Commandments]] on public property, a measure which passed the House, 77-19. He supported drug testing for certain recipients of the public welfare system. In 2015, Hubbard supported legislation affirming the use of electrocution in executions. He voted to establish public [[charter school]]s in Alabama, a measure which passed the House, 58-41. He supported the bill to permit the home schooled to participate in athletic events at public schools, a measure approved by the full House, 52-43. He supported the increase in the cigarette tax;  the legislation passed the House, 52-46. He voted against requiring animal shelters to compile monthly reports, a measure which the House disapproved, 28-67. In 2016, Hubbard voted to increase funding for new prison facilities, legislation which  cleared the House, 52-33. He co-sponsored legislation to forbid the sale of fetal tissue or to permit its use in research, and in his final House vote opposed dilation abortions in Alabama.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/15923/mike-hubbard|title=Mike Hubbard's Voting Records|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

In 2012, Speaker Hubbard voted to require school districts to schedule a longer summer break for public school pupils. That same year he voted to exclude [[insurance]] policies from covering elective [[abortion]]s. In 2013, he voted to establish health care standards for abortuaries  in Alabama. In 2014, he supported the bill to prohibit abortion after the detection of the heartbeat of the unborn child. He voted to display the [[Ten Commandments]] on public property, a measure which passed the House, 77-19. He supported drug testing for certain recipients of the public welfare system. In 2015, Hubbard supported legislation affirming the use of electrocution in executions. He voted to establish public [[charter school]]s in Alabama, a measure which passed the House, 58-41. He supported the bill to permit the home schooled to participate in athletic events at public schools, a measure approved by the full House, 52-43. He supported the increase in the cigarette tax;  the legislation passed the House, 52-46. He voted against requiring animal shelters to compile monthly reports, a measure which the House disapproved, 28-67. In 2016, Hubbard voted to increase funding for new prison facilities, legislation which  cleared the House, 52-33. He co-sponsored legislation to forbid the sale of fetal tissue or to permit its use in research, and in his final House vote opposed dilation abortions in Alabama.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/15923/mike-hubbard|title=Mike Hubbard's Voting Records|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=November 3, 2017}}</ref>

Hubbard's legal counsel was the Democratic former state Attorney General Bill Baxley.<ref name=newrepublic/>  Two months after the indictment, Hubbard won reelection in a landslide on November 4, 2014. He defeated businessman Fred "Sandy" Toomer in the Republican primary,  2,947 (60.2 percent) to 1,948 (39.8 percent). In the November 4 [[general election]], he defeated the Democrat Shirley Scott-Harris, 5,136 (58.5 percent) to 3,535 (40.3 percent).<ref name=ballotpedia/> He was reelected Speaker, 99-1, with four abstentions.<ref name=newrepublic/>   

Hubbard's legal counsel was the Democratic former state Attorney General Bill Baxley.<ref name=newrepublic/>  Two months after the indictment, Hubbard won reelection in a landslide on November 4, 2014. He defeated businessman Fred "Sandy" Toomer in the Republican primary,  2,947 (60.2 percent) to 1,948 (39.8 percent). In the November 4 [[general election]], he defeated the Democrat Shirley Scott-Harris, 5,136 (58.5 percent) to 3,535 (40.3 percent).<ref name=ballotpedia/> He was reelected Speaker, 99-1, with four abstentions.<ref name=newrepublic/>   

When several  Republican lawmakers proposed that party leaders  step down when under felony indictment, Hubbard removed them from their committees and <ref name=newrepublic/>  repeatedly refused to resign the Speakership.<ref>http://www.wkrg.com/story/26849369/speaker-hubbard-refuses-to-resign</ref> District 6 state Representative [[Phil Williams (Alabama state representative|Phil Williams]] of Huntsville was removed from the House Technology Committee after he helped to kill legislation that would have given Hubbard budgetary control over prosecutors in the state attorney general's office.<ref name=corruptgop/>

When several  Republican lawmakers proposed that party leaders step down when under felony indictment, Hubbard removed them from their committees and <ref name=newrepublic/>  repeatedly refused to resign the Speakership.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wkrg.com/story/26849369/speaker-hubbard-refuses-to-resign|title=Speaker Hubbard refuses to resign|publisher=WKRG.com}}</ref> District 6 state Representative [[Phil Williams (Alabama state representative|Phil Williams]] of Huntsville was removed from the House Technology Committee after he helped to kill legislation that would have given Hubbard budgetary control over prosecutors in the state attorney general's office.<ref name=corruptgop/>

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 |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]].

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 web|url=url=http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/08/former_alabama_speaker_mike_hu_1.html|author=

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 web|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>

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