The State Board of Elections will refer Rep. Thomas Wright to the Wake County district attorney for failure to file a campaign finance report.
In a meeting this afternoon, the five-member board unanimously decided to refer the matter to local prosecutors by next week rather than investigate it itself.
"We decided that it would be futile for us to have another hearing," said board member Chuck Winfree.
In addition, chairman Larry Leake announced that the board will consider whether to shut down Wright's campaign at a 10:30 a.m. meeting on Tuesday at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.
The decision would not be the only bad news for the Wilmington Democrat.
He is also being investigated for failure to report $220,000 in campaign donations over the past six years and for his role in a Wilmington real estate deal.
Wright also faces a possible ethics hearing from a legislative committee.


Re: Wright to be referred to D.A., again
Thomas Wright needs to RESIGN himself from his elected post.