Busted: Mike Hubbard, sponsor of Alabama anti-merger resolution, owns radio station (and more)
Saturday, March 31, 2007 at 5:31 PM
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Remember that resolution against the XM-Sirius merger that was passed in Alabama? Well it seems that several keen-eyed commenters have noticed that the chief sponsor of the resolution actually owns a terrestrial radio station as well as a production company.
Mike Hubbard, Alabama's House Minority Leader and the chief sponsor of a resolution against the Sirius-XM merger (HJR144) cites his own possible conflict of interest in his official bio:
"Hubbard’s company, Auburn Network, Inc., owns and operates WANI NewsTalk 1400, a commercial radio station in the Auburn/Opelika market as well as Studio 197, an audio production company serving the national broadcast industry..."
In his legislative bio, we also learn that Hubbard is a member of the Alabama Broadcasters Association which identifies itself as a trade association representing radio and televisions stations. The ABA itself has officially denounced the XM-Sirius merger, obviously using the strength of its 287 members (particularly one certain House Minority Leader) to push forward their agenda.
Conflict of interest? Nah, it's for the good of the people!
[via The Port Chronicle]
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Comments
Cut the guy a break he doesn't even know that those kids aren't even his.
Posted by: another thought | March 31, 2007 10:21 PM
I pray that the Alabama Attorney General is a hard nosed Democrat. I say this as I have never ever voted for a Democrat.
Posted by: Rich ? | March 31, 2007 10:25 PM
He is actually a republican. lol!
http://www.legislature.state.al.us/house/representatives/housebios/hd079.html
Posted by: Danska | April 1, 2007 12:15 AM
I'm on your side on this (I own 3 Sirius radios), but I really have to question why you would chose to publish a photo of the man's children. OK, so it's on his website, and the guy's a creep, but why bring his kids into it? The implied threats, intentional or not, are just poor taste; it's the blog equivalent of yellow journalism.
-M
Posted by: Mike | April 1, 2007 12:21 AM
Perhaps Alabama's Ethics Committee should consider whether this is a conflict of interest. Alabama's ethics code defines conflict of interest as follows-
"(f) A conflict of interest shall exist when a member of a legislative body (...)has a substantial financial interest by reason of ownership (...)over any interest greater than five percent of the value of any corporation, company, (...)which is uniquely affected by proposed or pending legislation..."
(Acts 1973, No. 1056, p. 1699, §3; Acts 1975, No. 130, §1; Acts 1995,No. 95-194, p. 269, §1; Act 2000-797, § 1.)"
Alabama Ethics Law- http://www.ethics.alalinc.net/
Posted by: rjr | April 1, 2007 1:41 AM
Mike: You know, you're right. That was never my intention, so I've changed the photo. I appreciate the honest feedback.
Posted by: Ryan Saghir ? | April 1, 2007 12:27 PM
Bring in the slimeball's kids, wife, relatives, the whole lot of them. What a disgusting person to hold public office.
Posted by: Max | April 1, 2007 8:03 PM
I don't agree with the childish name-calling here. The guy is a "slimeball" and a "creep" because he's on the wrong side of this issue? He might have an agenda here, but let's lay off the name-calling. It's just radio.
Posted by: waterwagen ? | April 2, 2007 10:38 AM
"The guy is a "slimeball" and a "creep" because he's on the wrong side of this issue?"
I agree, the name-calling is not necessary. But he isn't those things because he is on the wrong side of the issue or that he has an agenda. The problem I think people have with him is that he has passed legislation, which arguably, will directly benefit his very own personal business interests. That makes the legislation a little creepy in my book.
Posted by: rjr | April 2, 2007 11:55 AM