Hamming it Up in Hubbardland

Inveterate readers won’t be surprised I found it timely to revisit ongoing “Malice in Hubbardland” type corruption given the observed persistence here in Lee County… even while former House Speaker Hubbard serves his inconsistently reduced sentences in State corrections. In fact, ALDoC facilities he shepherded toward the current unconstitutional result while ‘serving’ in Montgomery. The spirit of Sponge Bob Riley, Yella Grubber, Bride of Felonstein, et al remains alive and thriving. Long time fellow Lee County

Commission watcher (Peter Byrd) grows weary of me saying, “Felon Hubbard was a BIG weed to pull, but as with that garden you hold dear… the job of weeding is never done.”

Lee County elected officials (dare I type installed, with some of most restrictive/anti-competitive ballot access laws in the nation?) continue to have legal and ethical issues eerily similar to Auburn’s Mike Hubbard, once believed in so strongly and publicly – even by the chief county law enforcement officer while Mike was under investigation and indictment. It required great courage to stand against this corrupt public servant who was not shy to threaten and abuse his power to thwart being disciplined before finally convicted as a serial felon. If not an “I like Mike” minion, expect to be discriminated against, threatened, not win contracts and jobs (as I suffered at AU under Felon Hubbard and his public servant minions like Ed Richardson, Board members Lowder, et al) regardless of expense or reduction in quality to consumers, students and taxpayers. The Hubbardland playbook is as effective as ever in my county.

Years ago I could go to District Attorney Brandon Hughes who listened and at times addressed issues I’d research and write about in the Gazette – e.g., an engineer not bonded because the probate judge’s negligence to follow the law and keep our county out of jeopardy, RSA fraud ‘Grand theft auto-allowance’ at AU, Gig-city Opelika theft from OPS rate base payers, etc. There was a palpable change in DA Hughes’ tenor when we documented an illegal change order which appeared to be getting too close to this corrupt county commissioner’s purse. After fellow Commission watcher Byrd was harangued by this corrupt commissioner and Byrd wouldn’t yield, the campaign to do everything in his power to attack anyone supportive of our efforts was made clear. Soon thereafter, DA Brandon Hughes was indicted on perjury and charges of using his office for personal gain. The interim DA installed made it clear she does not want my input – understandable I suppose if aligned with Felon Hubbard minions or afraid to be bullied or suffer inconsistent scrutiny when addressing corruption Riley/Hubbard Inc. directly promotes.

A recent Assistant DA hire made it clear in motions submitted to Judge Russell Bush’s District Court he would do this corrupt commissioner’s bidding against one of our Commission watchers. Successful at upping a 3 month ‘I’m sorry for exercising my Civil Rights’ probation agreement into 24 months made this corrupt commissioner absolutely giddy he could so easily abuse his power and status without proper jurisprudence oversight in Judge Bush’s Court.

The hamming it up chapter of our ‘Malice in Hubbardland’ novel in Lee County now unfolds as Commissioner Robert Ham is immersed in a rock quarry scandal. In one of his many ‘Judas Rhetoric’ moments espousing he cares about the goodness of Lee County to cover his avarice, Ham promised he was ‘all in’ fighting against the quarry but appears to have some business relationship with the endeavour. Full of hubris (with a few of his most supportive minions) they arrogantly claim they are elected to do things of this sort and if not re-elected (fat chance in this uncompetitive State which protects Republocrats) they’ll be fine with knowing they were trying to ‘do right.’ When voters tell them not to do something, they simply have a low turn-out, poorly advertised special election to get their minions to carry the day. Felon Hubbard was re-elected when anyone who wanted to see could determine what sort of public servant this felon had become.

Forecasting the Lee County DA’s office will grow increasingly corrupt and our State Ethics Commission proving itself a failure (at best) these past years or (at worst) part of the corruption; what does Commissioner Ham have to worry about? I expect to see more Felon Hubbard type ‘hamming it up’ outcomes in Lee County if there are no political consequences to suffer. Most disturbing Judges like Bush and Walker I once held in high regard are aiding and abetting this public servant’s (Ham) corruption and reducing the sentences of a convicted serial felon when the people are trying to discipline Ham and Hubbard types in the courts where the duopoly ballot box is so clearly failing.

Postscript: was pleased so many readers contacted me to applaud one of the most corrupt Deans I suffered at AU is finally gone as an administrator. Some recall I devoted much to get a lawsuit in federal court to expose this Dean’s actions against an English Instructor my eldest Goddaughter held dear. After revealing this public servant’s character/integrity under deposition, the University settled but allowed this Dean to remain in position to promote even more first amendment civil right violations evidenced by current federal lawsuits where this Dean is a named defendant. A few months ago I wrote it was long overdue for President Gogue to remove administrators of this sort in spite of his disdain for micromanaging. Now it is time to remove lieutenants who’ve aided and abetted these violations along with lower level administrators/minions exacerbating the observed ‘Ugliest Pillage on the Plains’ result. If Pres. Gogue removes enough of these malefactors, the future may again become bright for AU. Commissioner Ham threatened me after exposing a dirty laundry list of past and recent corruption in my 3 minutes allowed to address commissioners. Seems our civil rights in Lee County are trod upon equally by corrupt County commissioners to our largest Lee County employers like AU rife with First Amendment lawsuits and EAMC the commission fails to engage in their oversight role and kites bonds to pay settlements for lawsuits. Felon Hubbard is in prison… plenty more big weeds to remove before their growth chokes us.