Jan 09, 2008
House panel charges Rep. Wright 
Chair: Evidence points to pattern of 'deliberate misconduct'
Gareth McGrath: - Wilmington Star-News

Raleigh | A special House ethics committee looking into the actions of embattled state Rep. Thomas Wright, D-New Hanover, found "probable cause" to charge him with eight counts of unethical conduct Wednesday. 
Committee Chairman Rep. Rick Glazier, D-Cumberland, said the evidence of fraud, along with 22 straight quarters of filing inaccurate or incomplete campaign finance disclosure forms, showed a pattern of "purposeful, deliberate misconduct" by Wright. 
The vote on all eight charges was unanimous, and the six-member committee will next meet Feb. 11 if Wright files a motion in the case. He has until Jan. 25 to do so. 
The committee could eventually recommend censure or Wright's expulsion from the chamber, which would require an affirmative vote by the whole House, if the members find him to have conducted unethical or unlawful activities while in office. 
If that happens, Wright would be the first sitting House member forced out since 1880. 
Wright has repeatedly stated his intention not to resign and to fight to save his political career. 
Wright didn't attend Wednesday's hearing that took place just a short walk from the Legislative Building, where Wright's name is still listed on the House chamber's electronic voting board. 
Places also were set out, and left vacant, for Wright's legal team of Greensboro attorney Douglas Harris and Irving Joyner, a professor at North Carolina Central University. 
"It's a sad day," said state Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake, and vice chairman of the committee after the charges were approved. "But we'll see what happens." 
Criminal case 
Wednesday's action adds to the legal woes facing Wright, who has already been indicted on six felony charges by a Wake County grand jury. 
In that criminal case, Wright, 52, faces five charges of obtaining property by false pretense and one charge of obstruction of justice. All told, he's alleged to have swindled political donors, corporations and banks out of $350,000 over several years. 
The eight-term Wilmington Democrat, who also represents a wide swath of western Pender County, has entered pleas of not guilty to all of the criminal charges. 
The House committee's decision Wednesday came after state investigators, using some of Wright's own e-mails and letters, testified that he defrauded businesses and donors out of nearly $350,000 for personal gain. 
Senior Deputy Attorney General William Hart said Wright and Torlen Wade, then acting director of the state Office of Research, Demonstrations and Rural Health Development, created a $150,000 grant letter that both knew was "inappropriate and untrue." 
Wright then used the letter to secure a loan in the same amount from Coastal Federal Bank. 
Hart said there's no proof money ever got to the foundation or was used for any other purpose other than Wright's personal gain. 
"That loan was never repaid and the loan was defaulted," he said. 
Alex Peters, a special deputy attorney general, said Wright also failed to report $185,000 of the $482,000 he received in political contributions between 2000 and 2006. 
That amount included $13,000 he received from nurse anesthetists at a time when legislation that would have affected the profession was before a committee he chaired. 
"He did not report any of those contributions while that legislation was pending," Peters said. 
He said that practice seemed to occur regularly leading up to elections and primaries. 
"There appears to be a pattern there because of who those contributions were from," Peters said. 
Wright is already facing heavy political pressure to resign, including from Gov. Mike Easley. 
House Speaker Jim Hackney also has made it clear that he wants the Wright situation taken care of before the General Assembly's short session starts in May.