Hanceville Mayor Kenneth Nail responded Friday to a media report alleging an impending criminal indictment in connection with a “state investigation” into his in-office conduct, saying that he had not been notified of any forthcoming charges against him.

“They must know more than I know,” said Nail of the circulating online reports, while declining to comment on specifics of the reports. “I don’t know anything. I’ve not heard anything. But, based on speaking with my attorney, at this time I’m not going to be able to give any other statement about it.”

The reports did not specify which investigating state body is alleged to be looking into Nail’s conduct as mayor. On Friday, The Times reached out by both phone and email to the Alabama Ethics Commission, which holds jurisdiction over ethical conduct infractions on the part of public officials, but did not receive a response by presstime.

Created by the state Ethics Act of 1973, the Ethics Commission has statutory power to impose penalties and fines against public officials for minor ethical violations, as well as to elevate severe findings for referral for criminal prosecution to a local district attorney, or to the Alabama Attorney General’s office.