Rep. Thomas Wright's woes have extended back to 1898.

The Wilmington Democrat's campaign finance problems have hurt plans to acknowledge the race riots and provide ways to compensate the heirs of its victims.

Wright filed 10 bills on the issue this session, but only one has been voted on. That was the bill simply acknowledging the riots happened, and it's not been approved by the Senate yet.

After the State Board of Elections said Wright failed to report more than $220,000 in campaign contributions in recent years, the fate of the bills became uncertain.

Since 2000, Wright had headed a 13-member commission that looked into the riots.

"I had left it up to Rep. Wright to guide us," said Irving Joyner, a law professor at N.C. Central University and the commission's vice chairman. "Now the viability of that strategy is in question." (N&O)

The House approved the final reading of an official acknowledgement for the 1898 Wilmington race riots this afternoon in a 65-51 vote. Here's a summary of the arguments (not direct quotes):

Rep. Thomas Wright: This was recommended by the Wilmington Race Riot Commission as a first step. Rep. Bonner Stiller: Yeah, a first step toward reparations. No thanks. Rep. Phil Haire: Or a lawsuit... Rep. Dan Blue: Not gonna happen. We're about a century past the statute of limitations. Rep. Haire: Well, what about this bill? Rep. Blue: It's just an idea. It'll never pass. Rep. Louis Pate Jr.: I asked about commemorating the birth of Robert E. Lee and you guys told me not to. Who decides which history to acknowledge? Rep. Mickey Michaux: Usually the victors. Let's acknowledge the victims for once. Rep. John Blust: We ought to acknowledge some of the better parts of history, too. Less hand-wringing, more optimism.

To see the full votes on the Wilmington race riot bill, click here.

Not sure who these people are? Check here.

House Speaker Joe Hackney typically only votes to break a tie.

The state House tentatively acknowledged the Wilmington race riots this afternoon.

In a 67-47 vote, legislators passed the second reading of a bill that recognized the 1898 riots that ousted an integrationist government in Wilmington and bolstered segregationist Democrats.

Rep. Thomas Wright, a Wilmington Democrat, said it was one of 10 bills related to recommendations from the Wilmington Race Riot Commission.

An amendment to add wording acknowledging that Democrats, The News & Observer publisher Josephus Daniels and others were also behind the riots failed.

That led some Republicans to vote against the measure. Others, such as Hickory Republican Rep. Edgar Starnes, were concerned it would lay the groundwork for reparations or other legal measures.

Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro Republican, said he wasn't sure why legislators should bother, since the riots happened several generations ago.

"Nobody in my district had anything to do with any of these activities," he said. 

Rep. Paul Stam wanted to make sure the history books are clear: White Democrats were behind the Wilmington race riots.

The Apex Republican proposed adding several lines to a bill acknowledging the 1898 riots that ousted an integrationist government in Wilmington and banished many successful black citizens.

Stam said the bill was rewriting history by leaving out role of the Democratic Party, The News & Observer and others behind the coup.

Rep. Thomas Wright proposed the bill as part of a package of legislation inspired by a 464-page report from the Wilmington Race Riot Commission.

"If you want to do history, we have to do it right," Stam said.

Rep. Dan Blue, a Wake Democrat, said that both Republicans and Democrats contributed to the problems of racism during the 19th and 20th centuries.

"There's enough blame to go around for everybody regardless of partisan bent," he said.

The amendment failed 50-63.