Ex-lawmaker Hammon released from federal prison

Published 1:54 pm Thursday, June 28, 2018

A former Republican lawmaker who was also a member of the Limestone County legislative delegation has been released from federal prison in Indiana after completing his 90-day sentence for mail fraud.

Micky Hammon, 60, of Decatur, was released Thursday, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.

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The former state representative was convicted in September 2017 of converting campaign funds for personal use. Hammon pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced in February to 90 days in prison and ordered to pay $50,657 in restitution. First elected in 2002, Hammon served more than seven years as House majority leader but announced in 2017 he would not seek re-election.

Federal prosecutors were investigating another matter when they noticed Hammon’s misuse of campaign funds.

According to a separate federal indictment, the California-based owner of Trina Health diabetes treatment centers, G. Ford Gilbert, had offered to clear Hammon’s $240,000 debt at Regions Bank in exchange for his influence on legislation that would have required Blue Cross/Blue Shield to cover outpatient diabetes treatment at three Trina clinics in Alabama. Behind the scenes as House majority leader, Hammon was pushing that 2016 legislation. He was also part owner of one of the clinics, the one in Hoover.

The legislation did not pass.

Gilbert; state Rep. Jack Williams, R-Vestavia Hills; and lobbyist Marty Conners were charged in April with conspiring to commit bribery over federal programs, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Williams has served in the House of Representatives since 2004. Connors served as chairman of the Alabama Republican Party from 2001 to 2005.

Hammon, Williams and Connor are among the Alabama politicians recently ensnared in corruption investigations.

In June, state Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, was indicted in connection to a pill mill conspiracy scheme to defraud Medicare. The Republican, always outspoken about rooting out corruption and promoting conservative values, has pleaded not guilty.

Former Rep. Oliver Robinson, a Democrat, pleaded guilty last year to taking a bribe for using his legislative position to oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s prioritization of a pollution site in Birmingham.

Last year, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley, a Republican, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor campaign finance charge and stepped down amid accusations of an affair with an aide.

In 2016, former Republican House Speaker Mike Hubbard was convicted of ethics violations including using his public office to drum up clients and investments for his businesses.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.