Bentley will not receive a security detail or retirement benefits from the state; he also agreed to never seek public office again. School equity, restructuring and oversight. 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. Though indicted by a federal grand jury, he ultimately only had to pay back a large portion of that amount and was not imprisoned or punished otherwise. Officially, these non-consecutive terms are numbered only with the number of their first term. Ryan was released from prison in 2013 after serving a 6 1/2-year sentence. We always had Louisiana to thank for being more corrupt and debaucherous than we are, Flowers said. (1980), State Senator James Pappas (R) from North Platte was charged with circulating a petition in a county in which he was not qualified and lying about it. J. Fife Symington III, Republican of Arizona Symington was convicted of bank fraud, making false. (1976). State Representative Jerry Bronger (D) was indicted in 1992 and later pleaded guilty to charges that he accepted $2,000 in exchange for blocking legislation that would hurt harness race tracks. (1974), Alderman of Chicago Joseph Potempa (D) convicted of bribery. 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.. Segregation in the New South: Birmingham, Alabama, 1871-1901 (Louisiana State University Press, 2023) by Carl V. Harris. Bill Janklow (2014), State Representative John McCauley Jr (D) convicted of tax evasion. Wally Barron (D) - West Virginia Governor, 1961-1965: Barron was indicted along with five others in 1968 by a federal grand jury on bribery and conspiracy charges in relation to a scheme involving dummy corporations that would funnel kickbacks from those interested in doing business with the state to the accused. Quote: "There are no excuses. He is the Caligula of Alabama. He was sentenced to 15 consecutive weekends in jail, home detention for two months and probation for two years. 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. Hall died in 2016, aged 85. After his resignation, Lt. Gov. He said he also wants to pursue cases related to anti-trust violations, consumer fraud and environmental injustice. ", Edward DiPrete, Republican of Rhode Island. While most charges were dropped, one stuck: Hunt had taken a tax-exempt $200,000 from his 1987 inaugural fund to purchasea riding lawn mower, a cowand a marble shower for his home, among other things. Bob McDonnell (center) is mobbed by media as he gets into a car with his son, Bobby (right), after he and his wife, former first lady Maureen McDonnell, were convicted of multiple counts of corruption Thursday in Richmond. (1989), Alderman of Chicago Marian Humes (D) convicted of bribery. State Sen. Kenneth W. Course (D), guilty, 3-year sentence, $5,000 fine. He's currently serving a 14-year prison sentence. Gov. Alabama was readmitted to the Union on July 14, 1868. Once considered a rising national party star, Rowland admitted illegally taking trips and vacations to Las Vegas, Vermont, and Florida, and improvements to his lake cabin. Edwin Edwards. In 1977, a federal jury found Mandel and five others guilty of defrauding the people of Maryland. Bob Taft (R) - Ohio Governor, 1999-2007: Pleaded no contest in 2005 to four misdemeanor ethical violations regarding him failing to report gifts of golf outings, dinners and other boons given to him by private actors. Reagan commuted it to time served in 1981. In 1940, he was elected to the US Senate, a position he held until his death in 1959. 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). 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. 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. He was released from federal prison to house arrest in 2017. Modern sources tend to say Patton left office on July 24, 1868, The date given for Swayne is the date of the first. After Serving Prison Time, This Former Alabama Governor Makes A Case Siegelman said he applied for readmission late last year and had a hearing in December. [3] It had only one governor appointed by the President of the United States before it became a state; he became the first state governor. The very first governor of the state of Alabama was Thomas Bibb. In 2003, not long after his election to Congress, Janklow was convicted of second-degree manslaughter for crashing into and killing a motorcyclist in South Dakota. In 1993, Gov. He was also ordered to pay $294,000 back to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Bentleys finishingblowcame Monday, when heresigned for using public resources to have and hide an affair with a former top aide. 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. DiPrete served one year in prison. He had faced 21 counts. 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. Among other actions, he traded political favors for money and motorcycles. Folsom would admit or even brag to voters that some of his official actions might be a bit on the shady side. This happened in tandem with him being prosecuted by federal authorities, who accused him of perjury and filing a fraudulent campaign expense report. Wallace served as governor for parts of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Alabama's use of Covid relief funds to build prisons must be - CNN Bob McDonnell's place remains to be seen. George C. Wallace was a four-time governor of Alabama and three-time presidential hopeful. Quote: Upon resigning after the verdict, he said, "I've never been one to linger and I don't intend to now. M. Spencer Green/AP Among the reasons given for the granting of clemency in capital cases are: mental . They are: Rod Blagojevich Governor from 2002 through 2009, when he became the first Illinois governor in history to be impeached. Lieutenant Governor Brewer became acting governor on July 25, 1967, and Wallace returned to the state later that day. In the same period, more than 1,500 cases have proceeded to execution. Siegelman, the most recent Democrat to serve as Alabama governor, was convicted three years after leaving office. Sentenced to three years in federal prison, he was eventually pardoned by Pres. Travis Spradling/AP A federal grand jury indicted Siegelman in 2005. He narrowly lost re-election in 2002 to Republican Bob Riley. The Disciplinary Board found that Siegelman (met) his evidentiary burden and noted that he took responsibility for his actions, showed remorse, had excellent character references and had paid all outstanding fees and fines associated with his conviction, said Roman Shaul, general counsel for the Alabama State Bar, in a statement to AL.com. William D. Jelks also served non-consecutive terms, but his first term was in an acting capacity. (1987), Alderman of Chicago Louis Farina (D) convicted of extortion. 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. The only Democratic governor of the state of Alabama since 1995 was Don Siegelman. Eventually, the governor was indicted on 13 felony counts. Once, as recounted in Of Goats & Governors, he met former Alabama governor James Big Jim Folsom (D) and asked for campaign advice. He was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and write an apology to the people of Ohio. The four-term governor was sentenced to 100 days in the county jail and three years' probation. Siegelman said that he expects to finish his classes and get back in court by the fall, if not sooner. Though the charges were grave, he did not serve a prison term due to suffering from a serious liver disease. 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. Lindsay was sworn into office on November 26, 1870, but Smith refused to leave his seat for two weeks, claiming Lindsay was fraudulently elected; he finally left office on December 8, when a court so ordered. But there's never been a day I didn't enjoy public service.". Page 26", "Politicians in Trouble or Disgrace: Illinois", "Schriver-Nettles House (Harry M. Schriver) (Roosevelt & Annie Mae Nettles) Rock Island, IL Official Website", "Journals of the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the State of New Hampshire", "The Spectator: An American Weekly Review of Insurance", "Graft Sentences Upheld Men Convicted of Pennsylvania Capitol Fraud Must Serve Terms", "New Castle News Newspaper Archives, Jun 25, 1907", Newspaper article, Ex-Governor Graham Convicted of Theft, "September 8, 1920 Manitowoc Herald-Times from Manitowoc, Wisconsin", "Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Caleb Powers", "POWERS, Caleb Biographical Information", "Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Executive Clemency | PARDON | Department of Justice", "Cases Decided in the Supreme Court of Michigan ", "Official Directory and Legislative Manual", "Frank Porter Glazier: entrepreneur and guardian of his own self-interest", "Five Hearst Workers Admit Petition Frauds", "Los Angeles Herald 31 December 1908 California Digital Newspaper Collection", "Politicians in Trouble or Disgrace: Embezzlement", "Missouri State Treasurer's Office Edward T. Noland", "Change of Subject: Impeachment of State Officials a 2004 research report from the office of the Connecticut Attorney General", "Journal of the Senate of the State of Mississippi: Sitting as a Court of Impeachment, in the Trials of Adelbert Ames, Governor, Alexander K. Davis, Lieutenant Governor, Thomas W. Cardozo, Superintendent of Public Education", "Mississippi History Now Adelbert Ames: Twenty-seventh and Thirtieth Governor of Mississippi: 18681870;18741876", "The Downfall Dictionary: David C. Butler: Nebraska gets off to a rough start", "N.C. state senate pardons governor who stood up to Klan | Reuters", "William Woods Holden, 24 November 1818 2 November 1892", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_American_state_and_local_politicians_convicted_of_crimes&oldid=1150950709, United States politics-related lists by state, Articles with incomplete citations from March 2022, Articles with dead external links from May 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles with dead external links from October 2014, Articles with dead external links from April 2023, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Articles with dead external links from December 2017, Articles with dead external links from August 2010, Articles with dead external links from November 2017, Articles with dead external links from March 2022, Articles with dead external links from February 2022, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles with dead external links from May 2019, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Articles that may be too long from January 2018, Articles slanted towards recent events from January 2018, Wikipedia references cleanup from March 2019, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from March 2019, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, State Secretary of Information Technology Isabel Fitzgerald (D) convicted of bribery. He was forced to resign due to the state's no tolerance laws. More specifically, he had for a long while required state employees to pay a subscription fee to his own newspaper the Leader (which apparently was seen as acceptable practice at the time), but the overlap between federal and state systems due to the formers economic relief measures taking over certain jobs in North Dakotas public works unwittingly put Langer in dangerous waters and he was charged with attempting to defraud the United States relief system for more money. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Either way, in light of the allegations against McDonnell, the first governor in Virginia history to face felony charges, we thought we'd take a look back at other examples of gubernatorial bad behavior in recent decades that resulted in fines, probation or even a prison stint. (2016), City Councillor of Dallas Carolyn Davis (D) was convicted of bribery. Louisiana Has a Long Line of Jailed Officials I feel like God was telling me, Look governor, youve seen whats wrong with the criminal justice system. (1971), Alderman of Chicago Edward Scholl (D) convicted of bribery. Bentleys resignation Monday came during impeachment proceedings accusing him of misuse of state funds and other misconduct in the attempt to conceal an affair with Rebekah Caldwell Mason. hide caption. The office of lieutenant governor was created in 1868,[23] abolished in 1875,[24] and recreated in 1901. 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. (1927), State Senator Marshall Black, (R) was convicted for embezzlement of funds (1918), Mayor of Rock Island, Harry M. Schriver (R) was convicted of vice protection and conspiracy. Blagojevich was found guilty in 2011 of attempting to sell President Obama's former U.S. Senate seat. He was sentenced to 6 to 8 years(2007), Cabarrus County Commissioner Coy C. Privette, (R) pled guilty to aiding and abetting prostitution. Sentenced to pay a $4,000 fine and write an apology to the people of Ohio. Then, he was again indicted and convicted in 2006 under charges of racketeering conspiracy, fraud and bribery (among other things) while both still Secretary of State and governor afterwards. A federal probe found that the two-term governor took advantage of free flights, cars and vacations, questionable real estate deals, and that he created a job for his wife at a state university. No jail time. In April 2012, long after he had left office, Wilson pleaded guilty to illegally shifting money to make political donations; on the same day, he was also indicted by federal prosecutors. I wanted to get my license back so that I can help other people, he said in a phone interview with AL.com. (2013), State Representative Ray Salva (D) convicted of fraud. 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. Key Ivey was sworn in as governor, the second woman to hold the office in the states history. Pardon currently being considered by Pres. (2014), State Senator and Democratic Minority Floor Leader of the, State Senator Patrick McDonald (D) convicted of embezzlement. charges were based on recent changes to the states ethics laws changes that Hubbard led the effort to pass in the Legislature. 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. 4 of Illinois' past 10 governors went to prison The fugitivefled the "demanding state" to avoid arrest or prosecution. Easley, the first governor in state history to admit to a felony, copped to violating six campaign laws, all related to a $1,600 helicopter flight with a supporter. In the annals of corrupt governors, former Virginia GOP Gov. 4 of Illinois' last 7 governors went to prison | Local News | daily The majority of them - 1,447 people - were detained for technical violations of probation or parole. (2010), State Representative Thomas Katsiantonis (D) convicted of tax evasion. The disciplinary board includes four lawyers and one lay person who review petitions and decide whether to readmit disbarred attorneys after a hearing. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison (2009), State Republican Party Director Edmund Matricardi III (R) pled guilty to one count of interception of a wire communication by illegally eavesdropping on a protected Democratic phone call. He was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and write an apology to Ohioans. A jury in 1996 found the former governor guilty of fraud and conspiracy in a Whitewater-related scheme that involved Clinton family friends James and Susan McDougal and the engineering of about. Bob McDonnell makes a statement as his wife, Maureen, listens during a Tuesday news conference in Richmond, Va. In 1997, Symington was convicted of seven felony counts of bank fraud, making false financial statements and extortion, much of it related to a failing real estate business. Hunt had been paying about $100 a month, The Post reported at the time. He died in 2002, aged 91. Bibb was inaugurated on November 9, 1819, even though Alabama did not formally become a state until December 14. released from federal prison to house arrest, Stealing Our Democracy: How the Political Assassination of a Governor Threatens Our Nation, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. More poignantly, he was accused of attempting to sell former IL senators Barack Obama newly vacant seat for personal financial benefits. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison, but in 1999 his conviction was overturned; in 2001, President Clinton gave him a pardon. The 75-year-old former governor on Saturday told AL.com that he is excited about litigating again. Here's a list of other recent governors convicted of crimes committed while in office: Former Illinois Gov. Janklow, serving in Congress as the time, was sentenced to 100 days in the county jail and three years' probation. Alabama officially became a state on December 14, 1819. 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. (1987), Alderman of Chicago Wallace David Jr (D) convicted of bribery. But later that year, the parole board pardoned Hunt and restored his voting rights. [16], The first Alabama Constitution, ratified in 1819, provided that a governor be elected every two years, limited to serve no more than 4 out of every 6 years. In addition he was fined $5,000. Alabama was a strongly Democratic state before the Civil War, electing only candidates from the Democratic-Republican and Democratic parties. (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. I have personally failed to live up to those expectations, as well as the expectations of the public, and I am disappointed in myself.". Don Siegelman is the only Alabama governor to serve time in prison for crimes committed while in office. (1975), Alderman of Chicago Donald Swinarski (D) convicted of bribery. 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. (2016), State Representative Steve Webb (D) convicted of theft. 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. Birmingham is known around the world as a place where African Americans fought and sometimes died to secure their rights as citizens and dismantle Jim Crow segregation. However, he was released in May 2018. Last year, he requested clemency from President Barack Obama, only to be denied, AL.com reported. Siegelman served one term as Alabama governor, from 1999-2003. When convicted, Edwards quoted a Chinese proverb: " 'If you sit by a river long enough, the dead bodies of your enemies will float by you.' hide caption. What's the matter with Illinois? With Blagojevich conviction, state has He was sentenced to. art. I apologize for that mistake and I deeply regret it. Former Illinois Gov. Robert J. Bentley (R) - Alabama Governor, 2011-2017: Resigned in 2017 due to two misdemeanor charges (specifically failing to file a major contribution report and knowingly converting campaign contributions to personal use) and a scandal involving an affair with his senior political advisor. In April 2012, Wilson pleaded guilty to illegally shifting money to make political donations. The payment to (Rebekah Mason) was probably the ethics charge that caused Bentley the biggest problem, Flowers said. Quote: "I let my pride get in my way. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. V 15, Alabama Department of Archives and History, "Bibb Appointed Governor of Alabama Territory", United States Government Publishing Office, "Secession Ordinances of 13 Confederate States", Constitution for the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America, "Installation of State Officers and Assembling of the Legislature", "Robert Bentley ready to take office as next Alabama governor", "James E. "Big Jim" Folsom Sr. (1947-51, 1955-59)", "George C. Wallace (1963-67, 1971-79, 1983-87)", "Forrest "Fob" James Jr. (1979-83, 1995-99)", "Ex-Gov. (2022), Flint City Councilman Eric Mays was sentenced to 28 days in jail for impaired driving. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson). First of all you cant say it. The 1990 charges, however, included accusations that Moore had accepted $100,000 in illegal campaign contributions and attempted to extort almost $600,000 from a local coal executive in return for helping him get back $2.3 million in reimbursements from the states black lung compensation program. The longest-serving governor was James R. Thompson, who was elected to four terms lasting 14 years, from 1977 to 1991. 609 likes, 33 comments - Rep. Anna V. Eskamani (@annaforflorida) on Instagram: ""The fallout came fast when Florida Gov. Daniel Walker (1973-1977 . Bentley and Hunt are what I would label as accidental governors. Hunt should never have been the governor it should have been either Bill Baxley or Charlie Graddick. Wallace was out of state for 20 days for medical treatment. Robert Bentley: Alabama: 2011 - 2017 : Republican: Gov. Flowers said that todays tougher ethics laws have had a lot to do with the fate of Bentley, Siegelman and Hunt. Taft, of the storied GOP family, became in 2005 the state's first governor to be convicted of criminal charges. Arch A. Moore, Jr. (R) - West Virginia Governor, 1969-1977 and 1985-1989: Moore was convicted in 1990 of widespread corruption charges involving extortion, mail fraud, obstruction of justice and filing false income tax returns throughout his 1984 and 1988 re-election campaigns. After the Democratic Party gained the upper hand in the state legislature in the 1870 elections, Holden was soundly impeached in 1871 by a majority of legislators, many of whom had ties to or were amiable towards the KKK. Kay Ivey, whowas then sworn in as the new governor, inherited a state that is likely casting a suspicious eye on its leaders. [20] However, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in 1911 that a governor's term ends at midnight at the end of Monday, and the next governor's term begins the next day, regardless of if they were sworn in on Monday.[22]. Robert Bentley joins a growing list of Alabama governors who had He died in 2015, aged 95. Edwin Edwards He started serving a 19-month sentence in July 1979, though Pres. Alabama Territory was formed on March 3, 1817, from Mississippi Territory. Updated: Sep 15, 2022 The bribe was from former HealthSouth founder and CEO Richard Scrushy, who gave him the money in exchange for a seat on a state board that regulates hospitals. Now that Virginia GOP Gov. Sentenced in Dec. 7th 2011 to 14 years in a federal prison. Mason was one of Bentleys advisers and wife of Jon Mason, who until Tuesday was the head of Bentleys Office of Faith-Based and Volunteer Services. Five people have served as acting governor, bringing the total number of people serving as governor to 59, spread over 63 distinct terms. (Gerald Herbert/ Associated Press) Alabama, whose former governor Don Siegelman was sent up the river in 2006, seemed like a. From Statehouse To Big House: A Guide To Governors Gone Bad His successor was Israel Pickens, who served as Alabama governor from 1821-25. Holden had organized the state militia to combat the activities of the Klan in his jurisdiction (who were suspected of having assassinated a local Republican senator and of lynching an African-American police officer named Wyatt Outlaw, as well as other violent activities), a which eventually caused the enactment of martial law and the suspension of the right of habeas corpus towards klan members. What is a Governor And an Extradition Warrant - InfoTracer He was sentenced to 17 years in prison and fined (1996), Mayor of Waterbury Joseph J. Santopietro (R) was found guilty of taking a $25,000 payoff in return for $1million in city pension funds. The constitutional start date for 1911 was January 16. hide caption. 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. McDonnell wept as the guilty verdicts were read. Dan Walker (D) - Illinois Governor, 1973-1977: Walker was convicted in 1987 due to his activities as chairman of the board and CEO of First American Savings and Loans, which involved siphoning money off the bank for personal use, which rendered him charges of perjury, bank fraud and misapplication of bank funds.