Michael Hubbard: Self-Interest and Ethics

COLLAPSE

Over the past few months there has been scrutiny over the speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives, Michael Hubbard, for multiple ethics violations. In 2014 he was issued 23 felony ethics violations and his trial began at the end of May 2016. The speaker of the House had, allegedly, taken over $1 million of campaign funds from the Republican Party and spent it on a printing company that he owned. He is also accused of using his office for person gain and taking gifts from lobbyists among other things. Many of his peers have commented on Hubbard stating that he is very self-interested and into receiving costly gifts from constituents and business partners. According to Hubbard's lawyer Hubbard followed every part of the ethics law, going so far as to ask other state officials for advice. Unfortunately if Hubbard actually followed the law there would be no charges against him. 

Which step in the model of morals did Hubbard break? Did he break multiple? It would appear that he was working in self-interest and decided that morals didn't really matter to him.  To me it seems that Hubbard chose the wrong decision from the beginning of the chain at moral awareness, the capacity to recognize the ethical parameters of an issue. He seems to be relatively intelligent so he was probably not morally unaware of the situation, causing him to then be immoral. This seems to lead to him having poor moral judgment; either that or his moral intention went against his moral judgment, therefore causing his immoral behavior.

Does working in your own self-interest always end up with you making an unethical decision? How far can you act in you own self-interest before a conflict arises? Is it possible to be wholly self-interested and ethical?

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/25/us/corruption-trial-michael-hubbard-speaker-alabama-house.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FEthics&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=3&pgtype=collection&_r=0

http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/05/prosecution_calls_more_witness.html