how many alabama governors have gone to jail how many alabama governors have gone to jail

YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. William D. Jelks also served non-consecutive terms, but his first term was in an acting capacity. . Former Virginia Gov. Aside from the occasional blanket grants of clemency by governors concerned about the overall fairness of the death penalty, less than two have been granted on average per year since 1976. When controversy around these trips swelled, Hunt agreed to stop taking them. They arranged $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a state lottery in exchange for the governor . He was also convicted of making false statements to the FBI. Now that Virginia GOP Gov. It's safe to say that Illinois has set a standard that's hard to match three governors convicted of felonies since the late 1980s, beginning with Democrat Daniel Walker, who went to prison in a savings and loan scandal. There are no hard numbers available to back up such an assertion, but former state legislator Steve Flowers, who now writes a weekly column about Alabama politics thats carried in scores of newspapers, said our reputation is getting close to that of another Southern state famous for its political shenanigans. Throughout the years, Siegelman supporters have said he got a raw deal with the conviction. In 1993, Gov. DiPrete was indicted in 1994, accused of taking close to $300,000 in bribes from contractors in exchange for state contracts. He remains free on bond while appealing the conviction. Edwin Edwards (D) - Louisiana Governor, 1972-1996: Convicted in 2001 for crimes including racketeering, extortion, money laundering, mail fraud and wire fraud. Regardless, he still personally affirms himself to be innocent. He was kicked out of office, got five years' probation, and was ordered to pay a $211,000 fine. Don Siegelman (D) - Alabama Governor, 1999-2003: A veteran of Alabama politics who served as Secretary of State and Attorney General before being elected governor, Siegelman was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2005 under the charge that he had sold a seat in the Alabama health board to healthcare service provider HealthSouth founder Richard Scrushy for $500,000 in donations to his 1999 campaign. Facing 36 years in prison and fines of $1.2 million, Moore, who also served as governor in the 1970s, made a deal. But all that changed in mid-2018, when a man out on parole, Jimmy Spencer, was accused of brutally . However, I can assure every citizen of Rhode Island that you received the very best.". Here's how the New Orleans Times-Picayune characterized Edwards' 2000 conviction on 17 counts of extortion, mail fraud and money-laundering: "Investigators spent three decades chasing Gov. But it was too late. ". Last year, he requested clemency from President Barack Obama, only to be denied, AL.com reported. All of the. Once, as recounted in Of Goats & Governors, he met former Alabama governor James Big Jim Folsom (D) and asked for campaign advice. In their petition, they must include a great deal of requested material and have the evidentiary burden to demonstrate that they have the character and fitness to practice law, Shaul said in a statement. Bibb was inaugurated on November 9, 1819, even though Alabama did not formally become a state until December 14. IV, 18; 1865 Const. I wanted to get my license back so that I can help other people, he said in a phone interview with AL.com. In 2005, Rowland pleaded guilty to a single felony count of "conspiracy to steal honest service" after a corruption scandal. He was sentenced to 100 days in county jail and three-years probation. Among other actions, he traded political favors for money and motorcycles. Although he got out in 2008 on an appeal bond, Siegelmans long legal battle (which even involved an email where Al Gore reached out to the ex-governors supporters and asked them to donate to his diminishing defense fund) culminated with the US Supreme Court refusing to hear his appeal case. Siegelman, a Democrat who served one term from 1999 to 2003 before being defeated for. Former Virginia Gov. Don Siegelman, the former Alabama governor who served six years in federal prison for a bribery conviction, will soon be back to practicing law in the state. 0. Evan Mecham (R)- Arizona Governor, 1987-1988: Mecham was ousted from office by the Arizona state legislature in 1988, under suspicion that he had obstructed justice and misused public money. The only Democratic governor of the state of Alabama since 1995 was Don Siegelman. State Senator John Rogers (R), then the Minority Leader in the Kentucky Senate, was sentenced in 1994 to 42 months in prison after conviction on charges of extortion, conspiracy, attempted extortion, State Senator Art Schmidt (R) pleaded guilty to a 1993 indictment for withholding the fact that he took a $20 cash payment from another senator tied to Operation BopTrot. (1974), Alderman of Chicago Frank Kuta (D) convicted of bribery. Bentley is the third governor to be found guilty of criminal charges relating to official duties and the second to prematurely end his term because of such charges. He was sentenced to 6 to 8 years(2007), Cabarrus County Commissioner Coy C. Privette, (R) pled guilty to aiding and abetting prostitution. He was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and write an apology to Ohioans. Moore ran again for chief justice and won easily, but he was again tossed out of office in 2016 by the Court of the Judiciary for defying a federal injunction against his prohibition against issuing licenses for same-sex marriages. It had two Republican governors following Reconstruction, but after the Democratic Party re-established control, 112 years passed before voters chose another Republican. Federal prosecutors in 1990 were ready to try Moore on charges of extortion, mail fraud, tax fraud and obstruction of justice. In 1971, however, Barron and his wife were again accused by federal authorities of tampering with the 1968 jurys decision by paying its foreman, one Ralph Buckalew, to be the lone holdout against the former governors conviction. While promoting his book Stealing Our Democracy: How the Political Assassination of a Governor Threatens Our Nation at an event in Huntsville last year, Siegelman maintained his innocence. State Sen. Jack E. Walker (R), guilty, 3-year sentence, $5,000 fine. I dont believe either Bentley or Hunt came to that office with the sort of background in political state office that really had them ready to go.. Siegelman has his license back and is authorized to practice in Alabama, according to the state bars online records. In a 1993 deal that infuriated Oklahomans, Walters pleaded guilty to one of the eight felony counts he faced for allegedly violating campaign contribution laws, perjury, and conspiracy to hide donations. Don Siegelman, the former Alabama governor who served six years in federal prison for a bribery conviction, will soon be back to practicing law in the state. Quote: "I believe this decision today is not in accordance with the kind of public service that I provided to the people of Illinois over 40 years.". He was refused a pardon or commutation of sentence by Pres. Eventually, the governor was indicted on 13 felony counts. Former Illinois Gov. He also pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges Monday. Former Alabama governor Don Siegelman speaks to reporters outside the federal courthouse in Montgomery, Ala., after being sentenced to 78 months in prison in 2012. Folsom would admit or even brag to voters that some of his official actions might be a bit on the shady side. In April 1993, Hunt was convicted on a felony charge of violating a state ethics law and removed from office, The Washington Post reported at the time. Hunt was forced to resign upon being convicted of illegally using campaign and inaugural funds to pay personal debts; he was later pardoned by the state parole board. Steve Helber/AP Thank you! Furthermore, heres a list of governors convicted under other charges, including lesser corruption charges, state crimes, misdemeanors and felonies, including perjury, obstruction of justice, electoral fraud, and tax evasion. Kay Ivey is the current governor of Alabama and she is another Republican governor. [2] The first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, served as the only governor of the Alabama Territory. He pleaded no contest to four misdemeanor ethics counts for failing to report gifts of more than 50 golf outings, dinners and other largesse. Warren McCray (R) - Indiana Governor, 1921-1924: McCray resigned his office in 1924 after a mail fraud conviction related to his his dwindling personal finances (McCray had been a millionaire before his election, and was hit hard by diminishing land values in Indiana). Lurleen Wallace, wife of George Wallace, was the first woman to serve as governor of Alabama, and the third woman to serve as governor of any state. Hunt of Alabama Cleared by Pardon Board", "Robert Bentley, Alabama Governor, Resigns Amid Scandal", Governors and executives of U.S. states and territories, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_governors_of_Alabama&oldid=1151830712, Lists of state governors of the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 April 2023, at 14:24. I'm not blaming anyone. J. Fife Symington III (R) - Arizona Governor, 1991 - 1997: Symington was convicted in 1997 of bank fraud, making false financial statements and extortion. Governor of Alabama Robert J. Bentley (R) resigned after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges: failing to file a major contribution report, in violation of Code of Alabama 17-5-8.1 (c); and knowingly converting campaign contributions to personal use, in violation of Code of Alabama 36-25-6." (2017) [69] (2011), State Representative Mike Miller (R) admitted to accepting "unlawful corporate contributions" from Western Tradition Partnership, was found guilty, was fined $4K and agreed not run for public office for four years. [17] This limit remained in place until the constitution of 1868, which simply allowed governors to serve terms of two years. (2018), State Representative Deb McManus (D) resigned her State House seat and pleaded guilty to a tax charge. Former Louisiana Gov. They are: Rod Blagojevich Governor from 2002 through 2009, when he became the first Illinois governor in history to be impeached. He was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and write an apology to the people of Ohio. He says his prosecution was driven by a politicized justice system. Taft, of the storied GOP family, became in 2005 the state's first governor to be convicted of criminal charges. Bentleys finishingblowcame Monday, when heresigned for using public resources to have and hide an affair with a former top aide. A federal grand jury indicted Siegelman in 2005. All rights reserved. He was sentenced to more than six years in federal prison, which he began serving in 2012. He pleaded guilty to a charge of honest services fraud and was given a two-year prison sentence (2014), Corporation Commissioner Jim Irvin (R) was found guilty of trying to influence a corporate bidding war and fined $60K. Now a Republican lawyer from Alabama, Jill Simpson, has come forward to claim that the Siegelman prosecution was part of a five-year secret campaign to ruin the governor. College student charged with hazing after allegedly smearing peanut butter on allergic peer, Doctor who drugged his wife, left her to die in bathtub, found dead at Utah prison, Alabama Gov. Officially, these non-consecutive terms are numbered only with the number of their first term. (2014), Sheriff of Rutherford County Robert F. Arnold (R) pleaded guilty to wire fraud, honest services fraud, and extortion in a scheme to distribute cigarettes to jailed prisoners. Instead of granting his wish, a judge added five years to his sentence and suggested he get a new job to help repay the more than $200,000 he owed the state. Bentley, a Republican, agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges that he did not report a $50,000 personal loan he made to his campaign and that he converted campaign funds to personal use to pay nearly $9,000 in Rebekah Masons legal fees. He faced a $2,000 fine and a year in prison; he was ordered to pay the fine and given two years' probation. re-election by Bob Riley, was convicted in federal court of taking $500,000 to go toward campaign efforts for a constitutional amendment to allow a state lottery. Edward DiPrete, Republican of Rhode Island. Jim Guy Tucker (D) - Arkansas Governor, 1992-1996: Tucker was found guilty in 1996 of fraud, conspiracy and of arranging fraudulent federally-backed loans. The Alabama State Bars disciplinary board late last year voted unanimously to readmit Siegelman, AL.com confirmed this week. Found guilty of conspiracy and bribery and sentenced to two years in prison, with seven years of probation (1990), State Senator Jesus "Chuy" Higuera (D), guilty of taking a $4,000 bribe and demanding a shrimp and fax concession in all future casinos. Wallace was out of state for 20 days for medical treatment. Lets begin withHarold Guy Hunt, a Baptist preacher, who served from 1987 to1993. (1973), Alderman of Chicago Casimir Staszcuk (D) convicted of bribery. With four months left to his sentence, Hunt sought early release from his probation. Quote: "There are no excuses. Simpson told 60. Joel Aldrich Matteson (D) - Illinois Governor, 1853-1857: Matteson was charged in 1859 for fraudulently claiming a scrip (a sort of IOU or warranty document) for work done on a local canal improvement project for himself, the scrip being worth over $200,000. He was removed from the office by the North Dakota Supreme Court in 1934 and sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and a $10,000 fine. (2014), State Representative John McCauley Jr (D) convicted of tax evasion. Arch Moore Jr., Republican of West Virginia. Last June, Hubbard, a Republican, was automatically removed from office after he was convicted on charges of misusing his office for personal gain, as well as seeking monetary gifts from registered lobbyists. Tucker was spared prison, in part because of a serious liver illness. Alabama was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. Now go out and fix it, Siegelman told AL.com I hope that through the use of my law license I can help change the justice system so that it is more balanced and fair, so that we can better ensure that innocent people are not convicted, and also that we can provide a measure of justice for families of victims of the use of excessive force by police.. Gov. Although in 2004 Rowland served only ten months in prison, his 2014 conviction netted him a 30-month sentence to be carried out starting fall 2016. In a state where 28% of residents are Black, yet constitute 43% of people in jail and 54% of people in prison, . Kay Ivey, whowas then sworn in as the new governor, inherited a state that is likely casting a suspicious eye on its leaders. John G. Rowland (R) - Connecticut Governor, 1995-2004: Rowland was arrested twice under federal charges, once in 2004 in connection with a corruption scheme involving vacations, luxury air charters and home renovations for the then-governor, and again in 2014 for election fraud and obstruction of justice in connection with his role in the campaign of congressional candidate Lisa Wilson-Folley in 2012. (1975), Alderman of Chicago Paul Wigoda (D) convicted of bribery. Edward D. DiPrete (R) - Rhode Island Governor, 1985-1991: Indicted in 1994 under accusations of taking hundreds of dollars in bribes from contractors in exchange for state contracts, DiPrete would only plead guilty to 18 counts of corruption in 1998 as part of a deal that would give judicial leniency to his son, who was also implicated. He started serving a 19-month sentence in July 1979, though Pres. (1996). Former Alabama Gov. Harris earlier book, Political Power in Birmingham, 1871-1921 (University of Tennessee Press, 1977), was the first scholarly book on Birminghams history and it is still indispensable for anyone wanting to understand the political dynamics of Birminghams early decades. He also was being investigated by the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office after the Ethics Commission referred cases of possible ethics violations there. (2013), State Representative Ray Salva (D) convicted of fraud. Former Virginia Gov. Ultimately, Siegelman was sentenced to 78 months in prison 2012 (two charges had been retired by an appeals court in the meantime, diminishing his due time), for which he was released in Feb. 2017. You need to change your name. He had no jail time. We'll never sell or share your information. hide caption. [208] In a 1993 deal with prosecutors, Walters pleaded guilty to one of the eight felony counts he faced for allegedly violating campaign contribution laws, perjury and conspiracy to hide donations. Flowers said that the record of gubernatorial corruption in recent years might make some aspiring younger politicians think twice about running for the states highest office even as a crowded field of candidates prepares to do just that in 2018. As previously stated, the state of Alabama has had 54 governors in total since it gained statehood in 1819. His time in prison was even more storied than his time as governor. Wallace was out of state for 52 days for medical treatment following an assassination attempt while campaigning for. When he gets the ticket he pays it, but if someone told me I was going to jail for two days for speeding, my driving habits would change. She is the second female governor of Alabama. However, after three more trials, he was acquitted of all charges in 1935 and would go on to successfully run for governor in 1936. But there's never been a day I didn't enjoy public service.". Ryan was released from prison in 2014 after serving five years. The territory was formed on March 3, 1817, but he was appointed by President James Monroe, who did not take office until the next day. State Senator Patti Weaver (D) pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charging that she was promised help finding a job in exchange for support of legislation. He pleaded guilty to 18 counts of corruption including bribery and extortion in 1998, before trial, in exchange for leniency for his son, who was also accused. But later that year, the parole board pardoned Hunt and restored his voting rights. Charges that he took an illegal $3,000 cash campaign contribution were dropped. He served 10 months in prison. Alabama Initiative for Independent Journalism. All rights reserved (About Us). Other resources indicate that other major appointments for the territory were made on March 6. Harris, who taught history at the University of California, Santa Barbara, died before completing this book. Dubbed the Luv Guv, he was caught after tapes emerged featuring him saying things like, Baby, let me know what I am going to do when I start locking the door. Siegelman has to complete 60 hours of legal education classes. The buck has to stop somewhere. Living former governors of Alabama As of 26 April 2023, there are five living former governors of Alabama, the oldest being Fob James (served 19791983, 19951999, born 1934). Another thing to note is that most Alabama governors since the mid-1990s have been Republicans. State Rep. Pete Pappas (R), the chief conspirator who turned government informant and pleaded guilty; got probation. So does a pattern of gubernatorial misconduct, as well as crimes of other state officeholders, indicate that something is wrong with Alabamas political system?