Speaker of Alabama House Is Arrested on Corruption Charges

The speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, Michael G. Hubbard, was arrested Monday on 23 felony charges amid an extended inquiry into Montgomery’s political machinations.

The arrest and indictment of Mr. Hubbard, who engineered the Republican takeover of the Capitol less than four years ago, came with just weeks to go in his re-election bid.

Mr. Hubbard condemned the prosecution as “politics at its worst.” He was charged with crimes that included voting for legislation in which he had a conflict of interest and using his public office for personal gain. A special grand jury returned the indictment on Friday, but it was not announced until Monday, after Mr. Hubbard, 52, surrendered to the authorities in Lee County.

The indictment, filed in Lee County Circuit Court, accuses Mr. Hubbard of soliciting or engaging in corrupt dealings with some of Alabama’s most influential figures, including a former governor, Bob Riley, as well as several leading businessmen. Mr. Hubbard, who was first elected to the Legislature in 1998, was the only person arrested Monday.