Sabra Faires, a top legislative aide, was subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury that has been investigating former House Speaker Jim Black's activities, her attorney said Friday.

Steve Petersen, a Raleigh defense lawyer, said Faires had not yet appeared before the grand jury. He said he will be talking to one of the prosecutors who sought her appearance, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Duffy, to find out more about the case and what Faires' role might be.

"I don't know the reasons yet," Petersen said. "That's why I need to talk to [Duffy]."

Faires was chief of staff to former House Speaker Richard Morgan, a Moore County Republican, when he and Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, served as co-speakers during the 2003 and 2004 sessions. She then became the counsel to the Senate Finance Committee, working on tax legislation.

Faires referred all questions to Petersen.

Petersen declined to provide a copy of the subpoena given to Faires. He said it requests some information that he did not consider public under the state's public records law.

Other officials, including Black and Morgan, have made public subpoenas issued to them.

Morgan's subpoena indicated that federal authorities were interested in his knowledge regarding several of Black's activities, including Black's efforts to persuade former Rep. Michael Decker to switch his party registration from Republican to Democrat and back Black for speaker in 2003. That switch led to the co-speakership.

Last year, Decker pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and admitted accepting a $50,000 bribe and a legislative job for his son in exchange for supporting Black. Last month, Black pleaded guilty to state charges that he bribed Decker and a federal charge that he received money from chiropractors while pushing favorable legislation. Black has agreed to cooperate with state and federal authorities as they continue their investigation.

Morgan has denied any knowledge of the Decker deal and said he is only a witness in the federal investigation.