House Speaker Mike Hubbard Sentenced to Four Years in Prison

 ========= Old Image Removed =========1Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1280;s:4:"file";s:74:"2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-771x514.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:514;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-768x512.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:512;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:76:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-1536x1024.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:1024;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:72:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-467x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:467;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-398x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:398;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:74:"ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:1709062;s:14:"optimized_size";i:210803;s:7:"percent";d:87.670000000000002;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:102:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:1510485;s:14:"optimized_size";i:84289;s:7:"percent";d:94.420000000000002;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-140x140.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:6594;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4850;s:7:"percent";d:26.449999999999999;}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-336x224.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:17200;s:14:"optimized_size";i:11718;s:7:"percent";d:31.870000000000001;}s:5:"large";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-771x514.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:61565;s:14:"optimized_size";i:36126;s:7:"percent";d:41.32;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-600x338.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:37510;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23580;s:7:"percent";d:37.140000000000001;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-300x300.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:19268;s:14:"optimized_size";i:12946;s:7:"percent";d:32.810000000000002;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-467x311.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:28387;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17986;s:7:"percent";d:36.640000000000001;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-398x265.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:22398;s:14:"optimized_size";i:15170;s:7:"percent";d:32.270000000000003;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:110:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2016/06/ap_679197730954_slide-edc6546b00ece6550897e5791531d43c54ddb54f-125x125.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:5655;s:14:"optimized_size";i:4138;s:7:"percent";d:26.829999999999998;}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Todd J. Van Emst
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => Opelika-Auburn News/Pool
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_wp_attachment_image_alt] => Array
        (
            [0] => Mike Hubbard looks at family and friends sitting in the courtroom as deputies wait to take Hubbard into custody on Friday, June 10, 2016, in Opelika, Ala.
        )

)
1650821872 
1467983524
Mike Hubbard looks at family and friends sitting in the courtroom as deputies wait to take Hubbard into custody on Friday, June 10, 2016, in Opelika, Ala.

Mike Hubbard looks at family and friends sitting in the courtroom as deputies wait to take Hubbard into custody on Friday, June 10, 2016, in Opelika, Ala.

Todd J. Van Emst, Opelika-Auburn News/Pool

Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard has been sentenced to four years in prison for breaking the state’s ethics law. A judge in Lee County sentenced Hubbard Friday.

In June, a jury convicted Hubbard on 12 felony ethics counts for using his public positions as House Speaker and Alabama Republican Party Chairman to solicit jobs and investments for his business.

Al.com reports Hubbard would also serve 8 years on probation and pay $210,000 in fines. He will not pay restitution.

The sentence is less than the five years of prison time prosecutors wanted. Hubbard’s defense lawyer Bill Baxley called the suggested sentence “ridiculously extreme.” Baxley says Hubbard will appeal his conviction.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press

 

Mercury, Venus and Saturn to delight stargazers in a parade across the sky

The pre-dawn sky will feature a glowing crescent moon, joined by planets Mercury, Venus and Saturn.

How to get older men to socialize is a puzzle. A group called ROMEO is one answer

ROMEO stands for "retired older men eating out," and it's helping guys in one Maine town get out of the house and into more friendships.

Celebrating 100 years of speech arts in Birmingham

Women in flowing dresses and glittering cardigans filled the Virginia Samford Theater in Birmingham on a recent afternoon. The event was a celebration for the one hundredth anniversary of the Speech Arts Club of Birmingham.

Wrong turn leads to hundreds of immigrant arrests at the Detroit-Canada border bridge

NPR has for months been receiving tips about detentions at the Ambassador Bridge in Michigan. An inquiry by Michigan Democrat Rep. Rashida Tlaib has revealed more that 200 detentions this year at the bridge, including American citizen children.

A judge orders changes to a $2.8B NCAA deal, which attorneys say could trigger chaos

The judge overseeing the rewriting of college sports rules threw a potentially deal-wrecking roadblock into the mix Wednesday, insisting parties in the $2.8 billion suit redo the part of the proposed deal.

Lawyers warn clients of increased arrest risk at immigration check-ins

Immigration attorneys are advising clients who have deportation orders when they show up at court dates and immigration appointments, there is an increased risk of getting detained.

More Front Page Coverage