On Nancy Worley’s Indictment

No real points here, just observations.

• The indictment pits against each other two politicians who would like to see a little love from their own parties.

  Six months before the November election we read here how frustrated Democrats were that Nancy Worley “created the most powerful Secretary of State office in the country, and she’s about to hand the keys to Beth Chapman.” Her defenders dwindled as her “dysfunction” received greater scrutiny closer to the election. She went from receiving more votes than any other candidate in the Democratic primary to being blown out in the November election by 15 percentage points. (This when Democrats Cobb and Folsom were claiming big victories.)

  By the same token, Attorney General Troy King could have been the GOP’s flag bearer into the next election, but he has alienated so many Republicans that few are rallying around him with his own numerous missteps. (So many that he has been called the “new Nancy Worley.”) To give an example of right-wing frustration with Troy King, one active Republican emailed me soon after this story broke, “King better have a strong case or this could blow up in his face.”

• Worley is taking shelter in that familiar refuge of accused politicians, saying that this was motivated by partisan politics. It is a tired line. (FWIW, this week BushCo and U.S. AG Gonzalez remind us that sometimes it is partisan politics.)

• Joe Reed sure seems to keep backing the wrong horse lately. The “long-time [Democratic] party power broker” has started a string of public setbacks (Burks/Worley, Todd/Hendricks) that he would like to turn around. Remember that one loss (Todd/Hendricks) is said to have led to him flexing muscle in the other (Burks/Worley) that has now become an embarrassment for the party.

• The facts of what happened do not appear to be in dispute. Worley sent “a letter, bumper sticker and campaign contribution envelope to her employees on April 26, 2006.” The only question to be answered appears to be is if she could have done this in a manner so as to remain within the law.

• Worley lawyer James Anderson said that Worley cooperated fully with the attorney general’s investigation, including talking to investigators and supplying documents without a subpoena, and he is not worried about the indictment. Though she didn’t think to mention this to Democratic Party officials when she was setting herself up to be elected Vice Chair.

• Could Worley find sympathy in a Montgomery County jury who listens to the “partisan politics” defense and finds that the charges are too severe? Possibly. Though Don Siegelman would tell her not to count on it.

Related Articles:

• Former SoS Nancy Worley Indicted
• Who's Taking Shots at King?
• Party Hat Trick
• Troy King – The New Nancy Worley