LAPLACE — According to Donald “Chick” Foret, the attorney for Bill Hubbard, who resigned as St. John Parish President this morning, on Sept. 4 Hubbard initially entered a not guilty plea in the charges being brought against him.

Foret said he has represented Hubbard for only a couple of months, since the trouble began. The charges were initially filed on Aug. 26 but have been sealed until this morning.

According to the charges, the alleged violations occurred during May 2009. The charges state Hubbard solicited a total of $20,000 from three vendors in exchange for contracts with the parish, at least one of which involved the $29.5 million bond issue passed by voters in November.

The charges were unsealed this morning, and Foret said Hubbard plans to change his plea to guilty to the felony charges.

Hubbard is set to appear before U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey Friday.

According to Foret, “(Hubbard) accepts full responsibility for his actions, and he thought it was appropriate to resign.”

Foret described the three vendors as friends of Hubbard.