House Speaker Mike Hubbard Sentenced to Four Years in Prison

| July 8, 2016 

 ========= 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.
        )

)
1666232299 
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

 

Sam Rivers, bassist and founding member of Limp Bizkit, dies aged 48

"Sam Rivers wasn't just our bass player — he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound," Limp Bizkit said in a social media post Saturday.

Israel strikes Gaza as both IDF and Hamas accuse each other of breaching ceasefire

The Israel Defense Forces said Sunday it responded after "terrorists" attacked troops operating in the Rafah area with gunfire and an anti-tank missile. Hamas said it was unaware of the clashes.

Masked thieves steal ‘priceless’ jewels from the Louvre museum

France's Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, called the heist "a major, highly organized operation" that lasted just seven minutes. Authorities were still drawing up the value of the stolen items.

ICE tried to send one immigrant to a country he never lived in. Then he lawyered up.

Roman Surovtsev is like many others who were detained at their regularly scheduled ICE check-ins. What makes his case different is that his wife has marshalled a team of lawyers on his behalf.

Grab the goggles. Pickleball eye injuries are on the rise

Safety precautions haven't caught up with enthusiasm for the sport. Researchers call for a new push for eye-ware.

Sunday Puzzle: Anagrams from a hotel room

NPR's Don Gonyea plays the puzzle with Minnesota Public Radio listener Matt Walsh of St. Louis Park, Minnesota and Weekend Edition Puzzlemaster Will Shortz.

More Front Page Coverage