By Bill Britt
Alabama Political Reporter
MONTGOMERY—New FCPA filings are out the week of May 16, and it looks like Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn is having a good week.
Thanks, to big business political action committees, lobbyists and the construction industry, Hubbard received $123,250.00 in political donations to his personal campaign committee.
The biggest contributor by far was the Business Council of Alabama, (BCA), a group led by Hubbard’s closest ally, Billy Canary. The BCA political action committee, Progress PAC gave Hubbard, $15,000 for his war chest. Canary, once a political consultant, ran Hubbard’s first campaign for State office. According to Hubbard’s vanity publication, Storming the Statehouse, it was Canary’s backing with BCA money that enabled Hubbard take control of the Alabama Legislature.
As a result of Canary’s partnership with Hubbard, the BCA has become the driving force behind most legislation passed by the Republican Supermajority. As one former Republican lawmaker has said, “When we Republicans took control of the Statehouse, we traded Paul Hubbert and the AEA for Mike Hubbard and the BCA…it appears the BCA has been worse for the State.”
The second largest contribution to Hubbard’s campaign was $10,000 from CAREPAC, which is affiliated with the Nursing Home Association.
A laundry list of $5000 donations came in from trial lawyers, road builders, contractors, beer distributors, timber and forestry PACs.
Several lobbyists contributed to Hubbard’s campaign, including the lobbying firm of Barton-Kinney. Former Rep. Jim Barton, heads the group, along with Phillip and Alison Kinney. Phillip Kinney worked for the Democrat party until dozing up to Speaker Hubbard to enhance his lobbying business. The firms largest client is the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
Hubbard also received a little over $5000 from former Gov. Bob Riley’s Alabama 2014 PAC.
The single greatest payment made by Hubbard’s campaign was $32965.00 paid to his own company Auburn Network, Inc.
He also spent money with his other business interest, Craftmaster Printers, Inc.
Hubbard’s personal campaign account still has over $300,000 in hand with the Republican primary about two weeks away.
