Mike Hubbard
65th Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives
In office
November 3, 2010 – June 10, 2016
Preceded bySeth Hammett
Succeeded byVictor Gaston (Acting)
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives
from the 79th district
In office
1998 – June 10, 2016
Preceded byPete Turnham
Succeeded byJoe Lovvorn
Personal details
Born (1962-02-11) February 11, 1962
Hartwell, Georgia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSusan Hubbard
Children2
EducationUniversity of Georgia (BA)
WebsiteHouse website

Mike Hubbard (born February 11, 1962) is an American former state politician and a convicted felon who was a Republican member of the Alabama House of Representatives, representing the 79th district in Lee County. He was first elected in 1998 and previously served as Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives. Before that, he was House Minority Leader six years (2004–10) and was twice chairman of the Alabama Republican Party (2007–11).

Early life and education

Hubbard was born and raised in Hartwell, Georgia.[1] During high school, Hubbard beat Ralph Reed to become the Georgia state champion in the Voice of Democracy speech contest.[1] Hubbard went to the University of Georgia on a journalism scholarship, where he helped lead the successful public relations campaign for Herschel Walker’s 1982 Heisman Trophy.[1]

Career

After graduating, Hubbard got a job in the Auburn University athletic department and led a successful public relations campaign for Bo Jackson’s 1985 Heisman candidacy.[1] Hubbard left Auburn and started a new company, which then won exclusive broadcast rights for all Auburn Tigers sports and made Hubbard a millionaire.[1] Prior to forming Auburn Network in 1994, he was a general manager of Host Communications (1990–1994), and associate sports information director for Auburn University (1984–1990).

His company, Auburn Network, owns and operates four radio stations in the Auburn/Opelika market and publishes a quarterly magazine, East Alabama Living. It also operates an advertising agency, Network Creative Media. His company sold the multi-media rights to Auburn University athletics to International Sports Properties in 2003, which merged with IMG's college sports marketing/broadcasting group in 2010.

Political career

In 1996, Patrick Nix, (Auburn's starting quarterback in 1994 and 1995), recommended that Hubbard apply his public relations expertise to Bob Riley’s congressional campaign.[1] Riley won and, in gratitude, invited Hubbard to attend the swearing-in ceremony in the Alabama State Capitol, where Hubbard says he was impressed by the "symbols of our nation’s power."[1]

In 1998, Bill Canary provided polling during Hubbard's first election campaign.[2] Hubbard won, taking a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives representing much of Lee County, Alabama.[1]

In 2002, Riley won the Alabama gubernatorial election, and gave Hubbard the leadership of the Alabama Republican Party.[1] Hubbard would later name his youngest son Riley.[2] As leader of the state's Republican party, Hubbard became a member of the Republican National Committee, and received invitations to visit the White House.[1]

Arrest and conviction

In 2016, Hubbard was sentenced to four years in prison for felony violations of state ethics laws.[3] He was soon removed as a member of the House.[4] On September 11, 2020, he reported to the Lee County Sheriff's Office to be taken into custody and turned over to the Alabama Department of Corrections to begin his term of imprisonment.[5] Hubbard was released from prison on January 8, 2023.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Miller, Joe (16 May 2016). "Is Mike Hubbard the Most Corrupt Politician in America?". The New Republic. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 Miller, Joe (17 June 2016). "Beyond Mike Hubbard: How Deep Does Corruption in Alabama Go?". The New Republic. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "The Football Rivalry That Could Decide the Alabama Senate Race". POLITICO Magazine. 31 May 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  4. ↑ Mike Cason (June 10, 2016). "Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard convicted on 12 counts". The Birmingham News. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  5. ↑ Cason, Mike (September 11, 2020). "Former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard reports to jail to start prison sentence". The Birmingham News. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  6. ↑ Cason, Mike (January 9, 2022). "Former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard released from prison". AL.com. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
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