House Speaker Joe Hackney called for Rep. Thomas Wright to resign.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Hackney said Wright failed to explain campaign finance irregularities revealed last week by the State Board of Elections:

"I think the members by and large feel that he should not be here and that's the way I feel," Hackney said. "He should not be here. It's time for him to resign."

Previously, the Wilmington Journal, Democratic consultant Gary Pearce, Democratic blogger James Protzman a.k.a. Anglico, state Sen. Julia Boseman, the N.C. Public Interest Research Group, the editorial boards of the Wilmington Star-News and the Charlotte Observer, campaign finance reformer Joe Sinsheimer and the N.C. Republican Party called for Wright's resignation.

A noted Democratic blogger has called for Rep. Thomas Wright to resign.

James Protzman, also known as Anglico on the BlueNC group blog and comments here, posted an open letter to House Speaker Joe Hackney today.

In it, he called the New Hanover Democrat "an embarrassment" to the House:

There comes a time when an elected official no longer has the credibility required to perform. That time has long-since passed for Thomas Wright. Use the power of your bully pulpit to take a stand for honor and integrity. I'm not asking you to clean house, I'm just asking you to open the door.

Protzman joins Democratic gadfly Joe Sinsheimer, the top advocate for the N.C. Public Interest Research Group, the head of the state Republican Party and the Wilmington Star-News editorial board in calling for Wright to step down.

A top advocate for the N.C. Public Interest Research Group has called for Rep. Thomas Wright to step down.

In a short post on the NCPIRG blog, Rob Thompson told Wright to "quit your job, plead guilty, and go to jail" after yesterday's campaign finance hearings:

Anyone who was involved in North Carolina politics knew that former Speaker Jim Black was corrupt and deserved to go to jail well before he plead guilty to corruption charges. However, many of us patiently waited to pass judgement (publicly) until he entered his plea. Sorry Rep. Wright, I'm not ignoring the obvious this time - you should step down.

Earlier today, former Democratic operative Joe Sinsheimer called for the House to consider expelling Wright.

A survey found that 10 top legislators raised a quarter of a million dollars out of state.

The research, released today by the N.C. Public Interest Research Group, focused on fundraising from within a legislator's district compared to elsewhere.

It found that an average of 73 percent of the $1.9 million in campaign donations came from outside their district.

That includes 14 percent that came from outside North Carolina.

Sen. Walter Dalton, a Rutherfordton Democrat, did the best elsewhere, raising $59,144 of his $422,460 from other states.

On a percentage basis, Rep. Beverly Earle, a Charlotte Democrat, came in highest, with 27 percent of her $62,305 from out of state.

Others studied were Sens. Phil Berger, Tom Apodaca, Linda Garrou and Kay Hagan, and Reps. Joe Kiser, Bill Owens, James Crawford, and Debbie Clary.

They were chosen because they are chairs or ranking minority members of the House or Senate Appropriations Committee during this election cycle.