Robert Potter

Potter's bad luck at cards

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:53:47 -0500

Robert Potter was kicked out of the state House over a card game.

The Granville County lawyer served in the state House in 1826 and 1827, and then was elected to Congress in 1828. He had to step down, however, after he was convicted of assaulting two Methodist ministers.

During his three years in jail, Potter launched another campaign, and he was elected to the state House again in 1834, according to a Nov. 18, 1939, article in The State magazine.

His career didn't last long:

On Christmas night, 1834, Potter engaged in a game of cards with Carney Cotton, member of the House of Commons from Chatham County, and after suffering heavy losses he seized all the money on the table and covering Cotton with a pistol, got away with it.

Potter was expelled by a vote of 62-42 on Jan. 2, 1835. He moved to Texas, where he served as secretary of the Texas Navy and signed the state's constitution.

He was later killed by an armed mob that showed up at his house one night, but that's another state's history.

Hat Tip: Lamara Hackett

Who has been expelled from the legislature?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 16:05:23 -0500

Answer:

At least 13 people were kicked out of the legislature between 1757 and 1880.

Below, the year of their expulsion, their names, districts and alleged crimes.

1757: Rep. James Carter, of Rowan County, for embezzlement.

1758: Rep. Francis Brown, of Currituck County, for perjury.

1770: Rep. Herman Husband, of Orange County, for libel.

1779: Rep. William Gilbert, of Tryon County, for fraud.

1784: Rep. Edward Clay, of Caswell County, for theft.

1786: Sen. Benjamin McCullock, of Halifax County, for a military pay scandal.

1786: Rep. Henry Montfort, of Warren County, for a military pay scandal.

1787: Rep. John Bonds, of Nash County, for a military pay scandal.

1809: Rep. John Clary, of Perquimans County, for fornication with his stepdaughter.

1816: Sen. John Roberts, of Carteret County, for fraud.

1835: Rep. Robert Potter, of Granville County, for brandishing a gun during a fight.

1875: Rep. J. Williams Thorne, of Warren County, for publishing a "blasphemous" pamphlet.

1880: Rep. Josiah Turner Jr., of Orange County, for calling other legislators names.

In 2007, two House committees decided to consider expelling Rep. Thomas Wright of Wilmington.

More on expelled legislators

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:10:24 -0500

Scott Mooneyham has dug up the goods on the 11 legislators who have been expelled.

The syndicated political columnist writes that Josiah Turner Jr. was supposed to be censured for calling other legislators names, but he got upset listening to the public scolding, let out a few more choice words and left the chamber. That's when he was expelled.

But Mooneyham writes that Turner was not the only one kicked out for unusual reasons.

Among the others kicked out between 1757 and 1880:

* 1809: John Clary of Perquimans County, for having an affair with his stepdaughter.

* 1835: Robert Potter of Granville County, for brandishing a gun and knife during a fight over a card game.

* 1875: J. Williams Thorne, for publishing a pamphlet that questioned the Bible.

For a complete list, click here.