Ethics Act

When the cell door closed behind former Alabama Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard at 5:05 p.m. on Friday, Sept 11, 2020, there was a momentary sign of victory, but also a chill braced the state’s political landscape. What happens next will be most consequential as the Alabama Supreme Court, and to a lesser degree … Continued

When Scott Phillips and Trey Glenn were charged with multiple counts of violating Alabama’s Ethics Act, it was reported that then-Jefferson County District Attorney Mike Anderton had asked the Alabama Ethics Commission to help him bring the case against the two men. However, in a sworn statement given on Feb. 9, 2019, Anderton said it … Continued

Astonishingly, the Court of Criminal Appeals was able to uphold 11 counts of former Speaker Mike Hubbard’s 12 count conviction while opening a door for the state’s ethics act to be gutted by the Legislature to make sure Hubbard is the last public official held criminally liable under existing laws. That is the hard truth … Continued

Sunday, June 10, marked two years since former Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard was convicted on 12 felony counts of violating the State Ethics Act. He remains free on appeal. It has been well over a year since the State’s Court of Criminal Appeals received final briefs in his case. The court has failed … Continued

If the findings of a special grand jury empaneled to hear allegations of wrongdoings against former Gov. Robert Bentley and his cronies sound familiar, it should. In 2012, after an eight-month investigation, a Montgomery grand jury found that the state’s ethics and campaign finance laws were not specific enough to indict former Gov. Bob Riley … Continued

A new law establishing a class of individuals known as economic development professionals opens the door for profit-driven incentives paid with taxpayer funds to vaguely described, unknown agents not registered or held accountable to state law. There are many reasons to suspect that House Bill 317 is filled with loopholes not yet fully understood by … Continued

By Bill Britt Alabama Political Reporter Controversy still clings to HB317, also known as The Alabama Jobs Enhancement Act, despite the substitute added Tuesday that, at first blush, appears to fix problems with the original bill. Concerns remain. The mystery of why a substantial change to the Ethics Act is linked to amendments addressing business … Continued