newsobserver.com projects - Who's called for Wright to resign? - Comments

Re: Who's called for Wright to resign?

Isaac136 — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:12:25 -0500

It is a difficult issue to comment on without incurring accusations of racism. I intend no disrespect by raising the question, but do so because I think it is a mistake for the Legislative Black Caucus to remain silent.

The murmurings about the difference between Wright's treatment and that given Jim Black are misplaced to the extent that racism is cited -- as Jack Betts has already articulated so well on his blog. However, the lack of relevance of race to what Wright has allegedly done (and allegedly failed to do) and to the ensuing reactions does not make irrelevant the perspective of the Legislative Black Caucus. This is a respected body which Wright has served and has in turn been served by.

Alma Adams, the caucus chair, rejected the earlier calls for Wright's resignation, but now that he has been indicted, I think she should urge him to step down. The standard for evaluating a public servant's ability to serve should ask for more than that he or she is not physically constrained by the bars of a prison.

Re: Who's called for Wright to resign?

rjgreen1 — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:37:16 -0500

This is merely an observation, not a criticism but I believe that it is in large part a result of an underlying tone of race reparations or "we are owed" among the black caucus (or for that matter among a large segment of the African American community). For every scrap of positive movement forward (whether it be politically, economically, educationally, etc., etc.)that they feel African Americans make, in their eyes it would seriously diminish their perceived leverage they have achieved. This mindset is not only privy to the black caucus but permeates much of African American society.

Re: Who's called for Wright to resign?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:51:52 -0500

Good point. Will add that.

— RTB

Re: Who's called for Wright to resign?

Senate — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:48:29 -0500

Didn't you say Phil Berger had called on him to resign?

Re: Who's called for Wright to resign?

Isaac136 — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:56:01 -0500

It seems to me rather striking that the leadership of the black caucus in the General Assembly has not called for his resignation.

Re: Who's called for Wright to resign?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:29:07 -0500

For now, I am not counting the May 12, 2007, editorial from the News & Observer, since it did not call for Wright to resign. Here's what the N&O had to say:

If the Wake County district attorney decides to prosecute Wilmington Democratic Rep. Thomas Wright based on the findings of the State Board of Elections, he will have little choice but to resign. But even as it stands now, with the board's investigation complete, resignation isn't an option that should break the hearts of Wright's fellow House members, or of North Carolinians who would like to see their legislature operate beyond even the suspicion of wrongdoing.

— RTB

Who's called for Wright to resign?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 10:00:00 -0500

State Rep. Thomas Wright should feel like Marvin K. Mooney by now.

Since the State Board of Elections first began looking into campaign finance irregularities last spring, the list of people who have called for him to resign has grown pretty long.

Here's the updated recap:

Gov. Mike Easley, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, House Speaker Joe Hackney, state Treasurer Richard Moore, Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, state Sen. Julia Boseman, Reps. Dale Folwell, Bill Daughtridge, Jim Gulley, Danny McComas and Carolyn Justice, Democratic consultant Gary Pearce, Democratic blogger James Protzman, the N.C. Public Interest Research Group, the New Hanover Democratic Party, the Wilmington Journal, the editorial boards of the Wilmington Star-News, the News & Observer, the Charlotte Observer, the Fayetteville Observer and the Rocky Mount Telegram, campaign finance reformer Joe Sinsheimer and the N.C. Republican Party.

If anybody is missing from that list, please e-mail us or post a comment below and we'll update it.