Riley expected to call special session on ethics Wednesday

Gov. Bob Riley is expected to call a special session to address ethics reform during a press conference Wednesday at the Capitol.
"The governor has been speaking with legislative leaders and other legislators since the Nov. 2 election about whether to have a special session to pass anti-corruption reforms that Governor Riley and others have tried to pass for years but were always killed by the Democratic majority in the Legislature," according to a release from Riley's office. "Some of those reforms they tried to pass include a ban on PAC-to-PAC transfers, full disclosure of lobbyist spending, and subpoena power for the Alabama Ethics Commission."
Republicans took control of the Alabama House and Senate in the Nov. 2 election for the first time in more than 130 years. Since then, Riley has talked about calling a special session before Gov.-elect Robert Bentley takes office in January.
"To deal with ethics and deal with it right off the bat is the right thing to do," said state Rep. Mike Hubbard, who would likely be voted speaker of the House during that special session. He said Tuesday, during a swearing in ceremony for state Rep. Paul Beckman of Prattville that he expects Riley to call a special session Wednesday on ethics.
Hubbard, an Auburn Republican, said state Sen. Bryan Taylor of Prattville, who was elected Nov. 2, was not at the swearing in for Beckman on Tuesday because he was "dispatched to Birmingham to get ready for a special session."
Taylor was policy director for Riley before stepping down to run for office.
Hubbard said Alabama has become known for corruption after the investigations into the state's two-year college system and into gambling. But, he said, the "vast majority (of public officials) are honest and serve for the right reasons."
"We have developed this reputation," Hubbard said.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen