By Bill Britt
Alabama Political Reporter
“Hubbard Enters Session Under Cloud…”
That was part of an article this news organization published at the beginning of the 2013 legislative session. Few believed us at the time, and those who did were terrified of the consequences, including Speaker Mike Hubbard.
Since 2012, we have written hundreds of reports on Hubbard, many of which illuminated what we believed were his wrong-doings. We did not do this for money, recognition or out of hatred, as many of our detractors have barked.
Our mission statement which was written long before we never knew Hubbard, states, “The purpose of alreporter.com is to produce honest and accurate reporting that informs, educates, alerts and calls citizens, lawmakers and business leaders to action to insure the people of Alabama are represented by the best government possible.”
Bentley says he wants to leave office having made Alabama even better, but while Hubbard retains even a tread of power, the Governor will never achieve his goal.
Hubbard does not want to make our State better he wants to make himself richer—as the documents released in response to Hubbard’s request for a more defined statement of his indictments on 23 felony counts of public corruption reveal.
Hubbard represents what is evil in politics and in the world at large. He will do and say whatever it takes to enrich himself. And for Hubbard, it is not good enough that he win…someone else must lose.
His mind is seared with a hot iron of greed, petty revenge and lust.
The Scriptures teach us that the love of money is the root of all evil. It does not say that money in and of itself is evil. Money is like any other tool, it can be used for good or evil, and money doesn’t have an opinion on the matter. But, when a person truly loves something they can never get enough of it. As for money, loving it is a very unhealthy thing.
When someone loves money their mind becomes twisted because all the money in the world would never be enough. Someone once asked John D. Rockefeller, “How much money is enough money?” He replied, “Just a little bit more.” Rockefeller was one of the richest men in the world at that time, but he always wanted more. Hubbard, like old John D., has always wanted more.
Rockefeller knew something that Hubbard has failed to grasp: wealthy men buy politicos like him, but they don’t want them in their club.
Hubbard, like many of us, is a man of humble beginnings and that is not anything to be ashamed of at all. As a matter of fact, few people are born with trust funds.
Certainly there is nothing wrong with wanting to strike-it-rich and become an American success story; that is a dream that many people have. Hubbard had talent, drive and an ability to persuade others to follow him. These are all good characteristics, but Hubbard has treated his gifts and abilities like weapons, and has used them to beat people before climbing over them.
News outlets are beginning to call for his removal as Speaker, but Hubbard will never let go of the Speaker’s gavel. It is all he has left.
Most of us live with varying degrees of self delusion, but Hubbard’s is off-the-dial. If he could see himself for what most people now know he is, he would be reduced to a human rubble.
Sad, really, but, he chose his path.
And now that road appears to be leading straight to a State prison.