Former Alabama House Speaker Seeks New Trial After Ethics Convictions

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard is seeking a new trial, saying that prosecutors stretched the intent of the state ethics law when securing convictions

                    Mike Hubbard

against him.

Attorneys for Hubbard filed the request Friday asking a judge to reverse Hubbard’s conviction or grant a new trial.

A jury in June convicted Hubbard on 12 felony ethics charges. Prosecutors accused him of improperly soliciting investments, work and business advice from company officials and of using his office to benefit his clients.

Hubbard maintains the transactions were legitimate. He said, for example, that investors in his printing company got a full value return on their investment.

Lawyers for Hubbard also said the former Alabama Ethics Commission director was improperly allowed to give broad interpretations of the law as an expert witness.