Pope drops defamation suit

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:40:39 -0400

Two former Republicans lawmakers have settled a dispute left over from the GOP primary wars last year.

Former Rep. Stephen LaRoque of Kinston has apologized to former state Rep. Art Pope of Raleigh, who he had accused of buying legislators by pouring money into contested Republican primaries, Rob Christensen reports.

"In the heat of a hard fought campaign and contested election outcome, I misspoke," LaRoque said in a letter. "Art Pope has not been engaged in buying legislators or their votes. I did not mean to imply that Art Pope had done anything wrong."

After LaRoque issued the apology, Pope said he had instructed his attorney, Raleigh City Councilman Phillip Isley to drop a defamation suit.

Pope, a wealthy businessman, helped finance a direct mail campaign, that was critical of LaRoque and several other lawmakers who were tied to former House Speaker Richard Morgan.

The mailing were done by the Republican Legislative Majority of North Carolina, an advocacy group funded by Pope-led companies.