By Alabama Public Radio
Tuscaloosa AL – A Montgomery County grand jury has indicted former Secretary of State Nancy Worley on charges related to her unsuccessful campaign for re-election last year. Worley faces five felony counts and five misdemeanor counts. She's accused of soliciting campaign funds from employees in the secretary of state's office. Yesterday, when asked about the indictment, Worley said she had not yet heard official word, but nothing would surprise me" when you've got a Republican attorney general appointed by a Republican governor." During Worley's re-election campaign last year, one of her employees, Ed Packard, ran against her in the Democratic primary and filed a complaint with the attorney general's office. The complaint involved Worley sending a letter, bumper sticker and campaign contribution envelope to her employees on April 26, 2006. State law prohibits state officials from soliciting their employees for help in a campaign. Worley is expected to turn herself in later today. Her attorney calls the charges much ado about nothing.