Former Alabama Governor Pardoned

Alabama’s parole board granted former Gov. Guy Hunt a pardon Wednesday for the 1993 ethics conviction that drove him from office.

A prosecutor or judge must now approve the pardon for it to be final. The three-member board’s brief written order did not elaborate on its reason for granting the pardon, and members did not comment.

Hunt, who had been at his farm in north Alabama earlier Wednesday, was not immediately available for comment.

Hunt, 63, was Alabama’s first Republican governor this century, serving from 1987 to 1993.

He was indicted in 1992 on charges of looting his tax-exempt 1987 inaugural fund of $200,000, using the money to pay off personal debts and buy cattle, a riding lawn mower and other items.

Halfway through his second term, Hunt was convicted and forced to resign, then went on to lose every appeal. He was sentenced to five years probation and 1,000 hours of community serviced. He was also fined $212,000.

If the pardon is approved, Hunt’s conviction would be erased and $212,000 fine would be forgiven.