By Gary D. Robertson
RALEIGH—Despite outside pressure, Democratic colleagues of Rep. Thomas Wright declined
to ask for his resignation Wednesday, a day after state elections officials
handed his case to prosecutors for possible criminal charges.
But the chamber's leader late Wednesday asked a legislative ethics panel to decide whether Wright broke ethics rules.
The
state Republican Party and campaign reform advocates called on Wright
to give up his legislative seat after investigators presented evidence
showing he may have spent more than $240,000 in campaign donations on
personal expenses.
"That's
something he's going to have judge for himself as to whether he can
still be effective here," said House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman,
D-Davidson. "There are certainly serious charges that have to be
considered."
The
elections board Tuesday formally asked the Wake County district
attorney to consider criminal charges against Wright, a former close
ally of disgraced ex-Speaker Jim Black.
An
investigator testified that a state health official said Wright asked
the official to write a letter saying a health foundation Wright led
would receive a state grant that didn't exist so the foundation could
obtain a bank loan.
The
board also determined that Wright, of New Hanover County, failed to
disclose more than $220,000 in campaign contributions over a six-year
period. Wright declined to testify at the hearing, citing his
constitutional right against self-incrimination.
Leaving
the House floor session Wednesday evening, Wright told reporters he
would not resign his House seat, adding: "Why should I?"
House
Speaker Joe Hackney, D-Orange, also stopped short Tuesday of calling
for Wright's resignation from the House, echoing Holliman's comments.
State
GOP chairwoman Linda Daves said in a news release that Wright should
step down and urged Hackney to request Wright's resignation.
Joe
Sinsheimer, a former Democratic consultant who initiated the board
investigation against Wright six months ago, also wants Wright to
resign and said the House should immediately begin hearings to decide
whether Wright should be removed from office. The state constitution
says the House judges the qualifications for its members.
"Wright
has become an embarrassment to the North Carolina General Assembly and
the House Democratic Caucus and his continued service in the House
would be further insult to the people of North Carolina," Sinsheimer
said in a news release. Rob Thompson with the N.C. Public Interest
Research Group also called on Wright to resign.
Rep.
Larry Bell, D-Sampson, said Tuesday was the first time he had heard
about the allegations and that Wright is innocent until proven guilty.
"I
think it's a little too early to tell him to step down before it's
proven he's really committed a criminal act," Bell said. "I think he
should get the benefit of the doubt."
Meanwhile,
Hackney said Wednesday he will ask the Joint Legislative Committee on
Ethics to decide whether evidence presented at the State Board of
Elections hearing warrants an investigation into whether Wright
violated legislative ethics rules.
But
because allegations that he used his office to eventually secure a loan
would have concerned a time before a new ethics law took effect, it
could be more difficult for the House to pursue ethics accusations
against Wright. The previous law didn't specifically address actions
that may benefit a legislator like those alleged by the board.
Campaign
finance violations are handled by the State Board of Elections and the
courts. Board chairman Larry Leake said he wanted prosecutors to
examine whether Wright may have committed perjury by signing an
intentionally false campaign report, which is a felony. Other campaign
finance violations the board covered are misdemeanors.
Wright stepped down from leading two House committees in March after the board began its investigation.
