Mar 20 2008
North Carolina House Expels Representative Wright
It’s official! He’s outta there!
Thomas Wright has been expelled from the N.C. General Assembly for what legislators called a pattern of improper and unethical conduct.
By a vote of 109 to 5, House members today resolved to remove Wright amid allegations that he defrauded political donors and businesses of nearly $340,000. The General Assembly last expelled a sitting legislator in 1880.
Immediately after the vote, Wright was ordered escorted from the floor.
Even after the expulsion, Wright remained defiant, telling reporters he remains the elected representative of District 18, even though the resolution approved today declared that seat vacant. Wright said that he would let voters decide his fate in May.
Wright is still on the ballot for the May Primary so technically he could still be voted back in office if his constituents are truly that stupid and I’ve learned never to underestimate the stupidity of the voting populace.
The House clearly made the correct decision on this and it’s another step forward for weeding out the corruption in Raleigh, but apparently four members of the House aside from Wright himself felt that embezzling a few hundred thousand in tax dollars was no big deal. The four “No” votes on expulsion were:
- Earl Jones (D-Guilford)
- Mary McAllister (D-Cumberland)
- Earline Parmon (D-Forsyth)
- Larry Womble (D-Forsyth)
Why am I not surprised to see McAllister on that list?
