Hubbard Impact On Ethics Laws

Testy moments in the courtroom of Mike Hubbard’s ethics trial.

Former Governor Bob Riley took the stand for his second day of testimony. One out of 23 counts facing Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard alleges Hubbard violated ethics laws by soliciting financial favors from Riley. But, the defense repeatedly brings up the friendship exemption to the ethics laws. And Political Analyst Steve Flowers says this case will prove to be the biggest test of the state’s ethics laws so far.
Steve Flowers, Political Analyst said, “The thing that’s so ironic and hypocritical about this ethics law, is some of the emails that’s being shown to the jurors now. Hubbard is saying to Bob Riley ‘I was crazy to pass this ethics law.’..I think it would give a green light for anybody who wanted to lobby as a legislator to say ‘well they are friends of mine so I am just going to help them with some legislation. So it does open a real real loophole in the law.”
If convicted of even one of the 23 ethics charges, Hubbard will automatically be removed from office.