H. Guy Hunt (R) - Alabama Governor, 1987-1993: Hunt was convicted by a jury in 1993 of making personal use of $200,000 donated to a tax-exempt fund for his 1987 inauguration and of violating state ethics laws. Although sentenced to seven years in prison, Walker was released after 17 months because of his frail health and good behavior. And you better tell folks you went to school at Oxford High School in Calhoun County and not some place in England. 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. But I would say that in the past 25 years, and especially in the past two years, that weve surpassed Louisiana.. The four-term governor, 72 years old at the time, received a 10-year sentence. H. Guy Hunt (R) - Alabama Governor, 1987-1993: Hunt was convicted by a jury in 1993 of making personal use of $200,000 donated to a tax-exempt fund for his 1987 inauguration and of violating state ethics laws. One time Wallace was asked by a reporter about giving road contracts to his friends, Flowers said. But all that changed in mid-2018, when a man out on parole, Jimmy Spencer, was accused of brutally . 2022 Center for Illinois Politics. Blanton had attempted to create a scheme where the owners of Nashville liquor stores would be beholden to him, either by being controlled directly or paying a 30% profits kickback. The payment to (Rebekah Mason) was probably the ethics charge that caused Bentley the biggest problem, Flowers said. The lifestyle he grew accustomed to as governor which included a luxury vacation in Cape Cod worth more than $7,000 is about as far as you can get from where he could be headed next. (2004), State Representative Ronald 'Ronnie' Davis (R) pled guilty to four felony charges of conspiring to sell fake passports and to supplying drugs to his girlfriend (2002), Juvenile Court Judge, Darrell Catron (R) was found guilty of corruption and sentenced to 18 months' probation. Siegelman was sentenced to 78 months. Newly resignedAlabama governor Robert Bentley, a Republican, might be surprised to be leaving office in disgrace and with a criminal record, but the states residents have seen this before many times over. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Source: https://64parishes.org/entry/richard-w-leche. Lauded for suspending the state's death penalty after investigations revealed its flaws, Ryan by 2006 was convicted of 18 felony corruption counts for racketeering, mail fraud and tax fraud largely related to selling government licenses and contracts as a public official. Thank you! art. 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. I wanted to get my license back so that I can help other people, he said in a phone interview with AL.com. They are: Rod Blagojevich Governor from 2002 through 2009, when he became the first Illinois governor in history to be impeached. 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. (2018), State Representative Deb McManus (D) resigned her State House seat and pleaded guilty to a tax charge. Five people have served as acting governor, bringing the total number of people serving as governor to 59, spread over 63 distinct terms. They found nothing whatsoever as far as state government has been concerned; it's been run honestly and aboveboard.". Jan 3, 2015. IV, 18; 1861 Const. Harry Truman in 1953 under the suspicion that the harsh sentence was a result of partisanship. He was indicted along with his wife Tuesday for allegedly taking illegal gifts, vacations and loans while in office, but the governor says he's innocent. 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. In the past 25 years, three governors have faced criminal charges during or soon after their terms of office, and a speaker of the House was forced out after convictions on a dozen ethics violations. Don Siegelman is the only Alabama governor to serve time in prison for crimes committed while in office. Governor of Alabama, Governor Ivey Issues Statement After Signing the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, May 15, 2019 U.S. Congress, Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, Jan. 27, 2021 Asked to respond to people who may question why someone with a felony conviction will be practicing law, Siegelman said he prefers to ignore negativity. More poignantly, he was accused of attempting to sell former IL senators Barack Obama newly vacant seat for personal financial benefits. Last year, he requested clemency from President Barack Obama, only to be denied, AL.com reported. Modern sources tend to say Patton left office on July 24, 1868, The date given for Swayne is the date of the first. Three of Alabama's last six governors have gone to jail at one point or another, and . Bob Riley: Alabama: 2003 - 2011 : Republican He went to federal prison in 2007 to serve for the offenses he had committed during his time as governor from 1999-2003 and as Illinois secretary of state from 1991-1999. All rights reserved (About Us). It was the product of a long and tortuous push and pull between blacks seeking justice and whites seeking control. State Representative Bill Strong (D) pleaded guilty after 1993 indictment charges that he took an illegal $3,000 campaign contribution and did not deposit the money into his campaign fund. (1971), Alderman of Chicago Edward Scholl (D) convicted of bribery. But because of the internecine warfare in the Democratic Party, he (Hunt) got elected, Carroll said. From Statehouse To Big House: A Guide To Governors Gone Bad Mike Easley (D) - North Carolina Governor, 2001-2009: Although Easley was facing serious accusations from federal authorities (including suspicious travel expenses, favoritism towards family members and campaign finance irregularities) that could have netted him 15 months in prison, his attorneys ultimately cut a deal with prosecutors in 2010 that required him to pay a $1,000 fine and file a guilty plea for breaking campaign finance laws. The shortest term for a non-acting governor was that of Hugh McVay, who served four and a half months after replacing the resigning Clement Comer Clay. Becoming known as the Kirk-Holden War (named also after one Col. George Washington Kirk, a Civil War veteran who led the militia), the conflict quickly proved itself controversial and unpopular towards Holden. The Alabama State Bars disciplinary board late last year voted unanimously to readmit Siegelman, AL.com confirmed this week. hide caption. I feel like God was telling me, Look governor, youve seen whats wrong with the criminal justice system. Bob McDonnell makes a statement as his wife, Maureen, listens during a Tuesday news conference in Richmond, Va. In 1977, a federal jury found Mandel and five others guilty of defrauding the people of Maryland. State Rep, Robert Craig (D), guilty, 3-year sentence, $5,000 fine. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted. He was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and write an apology to the people of Ohio. But there's never been a day I didn't enjoy public service.". (1998), Alderman of Chicago John Madryzk (D) convicted of fraud. (1987), Alderman of Chicago Clifford Kelley (D) convicted of corruption. He was sentenced to more than a year (1989), The Illinois concrete industry was investigated for bribery and six politicians were found guilty. State Representative Bill McBee (D) was sentenced to a 15-month prison term for his role in Operation BopTrot. [15] Following the end of the American Civil War, Alabama during Reconstruction was part of the Third Military District, which exerted some control over governor appointments and elections. Simpson told 60. According to the state constitution, a candidate for governor must be at least 30 years of age, a resident of Alabama for at least 7 years and a resident of the U.S. for at least 10.. Governors Gone Wild: A Recent History : It's All Politics : NPR In one speech, he proclaimed segregation now, segregation tomorrow and segregation forever. He also oncestood in a doorway at the University of Alabama to block black students from entering. Edwin Edwards at a halfway house in January. The only Democratic governor of the state of Alabama since 1995 was Don Siegelman. And nobody expected Bentley to be governor. He was sentenced to prison, but his 1997 conviction was overturned and, in 2001, President Clinton gave him a pardon. When he petitioned the state parole board in 1998 to trim the final four months from that term, a judge instead added an additional five years of probation. The only Democratic governor of the state of Alabama since 1995 was Don Siegelman. The four-term governor was sentenced to 100 days in the county jail and three years' probation. 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.. The buck has to stop somewhere. (1974), Alderman of Chicago Thomas Keane (D) convicted of fraud. hide caption. V, 15; 1875 Const. (2014), State Representative John McCauley Jr (D) convicted of tax evasion. Alabama was admitted to the Union on December 14, 1819. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Alabama governor signs bill to use Covid-19 relief funds to build prisons. (Video: Amber Ferguson/The Washington Post), Views from The Posts Editorial Board on current events, Robert Bentley joins a growing list of Alabama governors who had trouble with the law. The Alabama Ethics Commission recommended the attorney general investigate Hunt. 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. Otto Kerner, Jr. (D) - Illinois Governor, 1961-1968: Kerner had been a sitting judge in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit at the time of his indictment in 1972 for conspiracy, mail fraud, income tax evasion and lying to a grand jury, charges for which he was convicted of in 1973. [21] The constitution had no set date for the commencement of a governor's term until 1901, when it was set at the first Monday after the second Tuesday in the January following an election. She is the second female governor of Alabama. Siegelman was disbarred in 2012 because of his federal felony convictions after the bars disciplinary board accepted his surrender of his license. [17] This limit remained in place until the constitution of 1868, which simply allowed governors to serve terms of two years. He had faced up to 15 months in prison, but prosecutors agreed to no jail time and a $1,000 fine plus court costs. Rod Blagojevich Doug Dreyer/AP Richard W. Leche (D) - Louisiana Governor, 1936-1939: Leche, throughout his tenure, was largely seen as an example of political excess and malpractice, both things which ultimately led to him being sentenced to 10 years in federal prison in 1940 under charges of corruption and mail fraud. (1988), Alderman of Chicago Chester Kuta (D) convicted of bribery. (1989), Alderman of Chicago Marian Humes (D) convicted of bribery. State Senator Landon Sexton (R) pleaded guilty after 1994 indictment charging that he took an illegal $5,000 cash campaign contribution. As The Post reported, he and his son claimed he was sent to solitary confinement on more than one occasion for conducting unauthorized interviews from prison. While Judge Roy Moores removal from office was not the result of criminal charges, he is the only known state elected official in Alabama history to be removed from his office, then be elected again for that same office, and then be removed yet again under different charges.