MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The Poarch Band of Creek Indians has bet more dollars on Democrat Joe Hubbard’s bid for attorney general.
Campaign records show that the casino-operating tribe gave Hubbard $500,000 on Thursday. The tribe has now contributed a total of $1.5 million to Hubbard.
Hubbard, a lawyer and state representative from Montgomery, is trying to unseat Republican Attorney General Luther Strange in the Nov. 4 general election.
The tribe began supporting Hubbard after Strange filed a federal lawsuit in an attempt to shut down the tribe’s casinos in Montgomery, Wetumpka and Atmore. The tribe has become the primary contributor to Hubbard’s effort to unseat Strange, giving $1.5 million of the $2 million raised by Hubbard.
Strange issued a statement saying that it’s clear that “Hubbard has sold his campaign to big casino bosses.”
Hubbard said all of his donors, large and small, are seeking an attorney general who will enforce the law fairly and address high crime rates.
“They are one of the biggest corporate citizens we have in the state. They are very good corporate citizens,” he said.
The money was part of a large financial haul that Hubbard reported this week. Tuscaloosa businessman Stan Pate, a longtime Republican donor, also gave Hubbard $200,000 on Wednesday.
The contributions keep Hubbard and Strange relatively close in fundraising with two weeks to go before the election. Strange has raised $2.5 million and Hubbard $2 million.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
