Marty Connors, the former head of the Alabama Republican Party, was arrested today on federal bribery charges. Also arrested in connection to the charges were state Rep. Jack Williams and G. Ford Gilbert, a health insurance executive from California.

Williams and Connors appeared in court Monday afternoon in Montgomery. Judge Charles Cody set bond at $25,000 for each and indicated they would be released later today.

Their arraignment is set for April 18 at 1:30 p.m.

Connors, 61, has been a fixture - though often behind the scenes - in Alabama politics for decades.

A graduate of the University of Alabama, Connors chaired the Alabama Republican Party from 2001 to 2005, leading the GOP during the election Gov. Bob Riley. He was replaced by Twinkle Cavanaugh. Connors served as executive director of the Alabama Republican Party from 1985-88.

He went on to work in the 2008 presidential campaign of Mitt Romney.

Connors also served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1992 and 2004.

Connors, who now lives in Alabaster, operates M.J. Connors Consulting.

According to the Alabama Ethics Commission list of registered lobbyists, Connors Consulting listed only itself and Motorola as clients. In 2017, Connors Consulting clients were listed as Alabama Independent Insurance Agents Inc., American Blast and Bullet Resistance and CP Homes.

Connors has also been active in St. Patrick's Day events around Birmingham.

In recent years, Connors has appeared as a guest on news shows discussing Alabama politics. In late 2017, he appeared on CNN to defend failed GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore against allegations he had improper sexual contact with teenage girls in the 1970s. After Moore lost, however, Connors called on the former State Supreme Court Chief Justice to step aside.

"My general thoughts -- and I've been to the wall for Roy Moore in this election -- is sit down and shut up. Just take it," Connors said. "Sometimes you win by being gracious."

Today's charges against Connors and the others stem from an effort by Gilbert, owner of Trina Healthcare, to push a bill through the Alabama Legislature that would have required Blue Cross and Blue Shield to cover diabetes treatments.

Prosecutors contend Gilbert paid Alabama House Majority Leader Micky Hammon in exchange for his work on the bill and that Connors, who allegedly knew of the payments, recruited Williams for his help. Hammon later pled guilty to mail fraud for using campaign contributions for personal gain and is serving three months in prison.

AL.com's Mike Cason contributed to this story.