Rep. Thomas Wright pocketed $8,900 in corporate checks intended for a nonprofit, calling the money "sweat equity," according to papers filed Tuesday at the legislature.

On Oct. 5, the Wilmington Democrat was interviewed by SBI Special Agent Johnnie Umphlet about checks totaling $8,900 from Anheuser-Busch, AstraZeneca and AT&T to the Community's Health Foundation, which Wright ran.

Wright admitted that he received, signed and deposited the checks into his personal bank account, according to Umphlet.

"He called his reimbursement 'sweat equity,' " according to a witness list.

Other potential witnesses include an IRS employee and a Wilmington doctor. (Char-O)

Fred Smith received $14,500 from political action committees by the end of 2007.

According to his mid-year and year-end campaign finance reports, the Republican gubernatorial candidate received donations from a dozen PACs.

The top contributor was Progress Energy, which gave $4,000. Wachovia gave $2,000.

Smith also received $1,000 each from Carolina Conservatives, a PAC affiliated with state Sen. Eddie Goodall; the N.C. Association of Convenience Stores; the N.C. Home Builders Association; J.M. Family Enterprises; the Manufactured Housing PAC; the N.C. Farm Bureau and Wal-Mart.

He also received $500 donations from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, PSNC Energy and the Island Preservation PAC, a Wilmington-based group focused on coastal issues.

Staff attorneys for Attorney General Roy Cooper are presenting evidence of Rep. Thomas Wright's misconduct.

Senior deputy attorneys general William Hart and Alec Peters said they only investigated Wright once the Wake County prosecutor assured them that it would not interfere with criminal proceedings.

They have just handed out a packet of evidence they compiled. It includes:

* Articles of incorporation for The Community's Health Foundation that inlcudes the names of Wright, Daniel Gottovi, James Lofton and Bessie Funderburg, all of Wilmington.

* An e-mail from Wright to Torlen Wade asking him to write a letter saying that $150,000 in funding will be provided by the state, and the subsequent letter from Wade.

* A notice of foreclosure on the Wilmington building owned by the Community Health Foundation.

* A letter from Wright to the Anheuser-Busch Co. asking for a charitable contribution to the foundation to build a museum to the 1898 race riots in Wilmington.

* Bank records showing donations from AT&T, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and Anheuser-Busch worth a total of $8,900.

Hart said that Wright never filed paperwork with the Internal Revenue Service to incorporate the Community Health Foundation as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.