Update: Prosecution and Defense Offer Different Views of Indicted Alabama House Speaker

Posted: May 25, 2016 9:17 AM CDT

Updated: May 26, 2016 10:17 AM CDT

Prosecutors and defense lawyers are offering jurors opposing views of Alabama House speaker Mike Hubbard as he stands trial on felony ethics charges.

Prosecutors told jurors in opening statements Tuesday that Hubbard made some $2.3 million illegally off his elected office and past chairmanship of the Alabama GOP.

But the defense argues that Hubbard was scrupulously honest, even asking for an ethics opinion before accepting money as a consultant.

Two lobbyists who once served as executive directors of the state party took the witness stand first for the state, and prosecutors say they’ll continue calling more witnesses Wednesday.

10:00 a.m.

Testimony has resumed in the ethics trial of Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard. So far two witnesses have been called to testify.

Hubbard’s business partner testified Wednesday that their printing company was deeply in debt. Barry Whatley says they came up with a plan to seek new investments of $150,000 each from wealthy individuals to pay off debt.

Whatley said the nine owners of Craftmaster would be responsible for the debt if it couldn’t be paid.

Hubbard brought in business and even if it wasn’t making money it was in the interest of the company.

On cross-examination, Whatley said Craftmaster had a good reputation and that Hubbard did not seek to be paid a commission on the Alabama Republican Party campaign work that came to the company.

Second witness was Chris Hines. He was the senior VP of the Auburn Network. Hines says that Hubbard was the sole owner and president. He discussed payments from groups that Hubbard lobbied for.

Defense showed the contracts and they showed he was prohibited from lobbying in Alabama anyway. Hines noted that Hubbard was the only one who worked with the contracts, which was an unusual arrangement.

Josh Blades, former Chief of Staff for Hubbard during 2010-2014, was next to testify.

Blades had knowledge of budget language that would help the pharmaceutical company Hubbard had a contract with in 2013. Blades says after becoming aware of the contract, he cautioned Hubbard not to vote for the budget, but Hubbard voted in favor of the budget anyway. He was afraid it looked bad.

Blades says he was unaware of Hubbard’s contract with Capital Cups, but Hubbard had him do leg work for the company, to help get a patent through the government. When asked if Hubbard said it was important, Blades says Hubbard told him he had 100,000 reasons to get it done. That’s when Blades says he became uncomfortable and stopped the work, giving it back to Hubbard.

Blades thought he was doing work for a constituent, not Hubbard’s personal business.

Hubbard draws a salary of about $54,000 as a Legislator Speaker of the House.

Hubbard would be removed from office automatically if convicted on even one of 23 charges accusing him of using the speaker position and GOP chairmanship for personal financial gain.