censure

Womble and Jeffus on their votes

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:43:52 -0400

Reps. Larry Womble and Maggie Jeffus explained their votes.

Womble, a Winston-Salem Democrat, voted for censure, and when that failed, against expulsion. He told the Associated Press he agreed with Thomas Wright's arguments.

"Not only has he not been convicted, but he has not had his day in court," Womble said.

Jeffus, a Greensboro Democrat, voted against censure, and when that failed, for expulsion.

She told Mark Binker of the Greensboro News & Record that she has sat next to Wright for at least two sessions.

"I felt like we might give that a chance and see. In my own mind I think censure and expulsion are both very serious and in the end would have the same kind of result," she said.

Luebke would have expelled Wright

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:36:10 -0400

Rep. Paul Luebke says he would have voted to expel Thomas Wright.

The Durham Democrat was one of five state representatives who had an excused absence from today's special session on Wright.

A professor at UNC-Greensboro, Luebke had an Introduction to Sociology course today. Under a signed agreement with the UNC Board of Governors, he cannot miss class to attend a special session or study commission meeting.

(During the regular session, Luebke takes an unpaid leave of absence.)

He said he would have voted to expel Wright based on what he's read in the Select Committee etc. etc. report on Wright. He would not have voted for censure.

"Of course, I don't know how the debate went, but I have the book," he told Dome. "The report makes a compelling case of flagrant violations of campaign finance law."

A switch in time

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:50:37 -0400

A switch in time

"It's like asking a child to go out and get a switch off a tree."

— Thomas Wright, after being asked if he would prefer a motion to censure him for ethics violations, rather than expel him. Quoted on March 20, 2008.

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Wright's beating metaphor

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:48:29 -0400

Thomas Wright had an evocative answer on censure today.

Rep. Alma Adams, a Greensboro Democrat, asked the Wilmington Democrat if he would support an amendment to censure him instead of expelling him.

"It's like asking a child to go out and get a switch off a tree," he replied. "You want a beating? You're going to get one anyway."

Adams later voted to censure Wright.

When that amendment failed, she voted to expel him.

Hat Tip: Laura Leslie

House expels Wright, 109-5

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:56:24 -0400

The House voted to expel Thomas Wright, 109-5.

Voting against the motion were Rep. Earl Jones, a Greensboro Democrat; Rep. Earline Parmon, a Winston-Salem Democrat; Rep. Mary McAllister, a Fayetteville Democrat; Rep. Larry Womble, a Winston-Salem Democrat; and Wright himself.

All are members of the Legislative Black Caucus.

After the vote, Wright was escorted from the House floor by the Sergeant at Arms.

The proposed amendment to censure Wright failed on 102-12 vote.

Alog with Jones, McAllister, Womble and Wright, Rep. Alma Adams, a Greensboro Democrat; Rep. Larry Bell, a Clinton Democrat; Rep. Beverly Earle, a Charlotte Democrat; Rep. Larry Hall, a Durham Democrat; Rep. Maggie Jeffus, a Greensboro Democrat; Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat; Rep. Annie Mobley, an Ahoskie Democrat; and Rep. Drew Saunders, a Huntersville Democrat, voted for censure.

Except for Jeffus and Saunders, all are members of the Black Caucus.

Rep. Parmon voted against censure and against expulsion.

Absent from today's special session were Rep. Debbie Clary, a Cherryville Republican; Rep. Linda Coleman, a Knightdale Democrat; Rep. Leo Daughtry, a Smithfield Republican; Rep. Joe Kiser, a Vale Republican; and Rep. Paul Luebke, a Durham Democrat.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated Parmon's vote.

Jones: Let courts, voters decide

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:33:03 -0400

Rep. Earl Jones says the voters should decide on Rep. Thomas Wright.

Introducing an amendment to censure Wright, he said that expelling a legislator would subvert the democratic process. He said expulsion is not "practical, just or fair."

He argued that "clear and convincing evidence" is a lower standard than "beyond a reasonable doubt" — the standard in criminal trials — or "high crimes and misdemeanors" — the standard in the U.S. Constitution for impeachment of federal officials.

"Expulsion of a dulty elected official in this House should require the highest burden of proof," he said.

He also argued that expulsion would unfairly taint the jury pool for Wright's upcoming criminal trial.

He also offered a particularly poetic paean to democracy, from the "mountains of Asheville to the green pastures in the East" and "on the sea coast of North Carolina."

"Expulsion disenfranchises those voters, censure does not," he said.

After the jump, Jones' paean.

Jones: Censure Wright

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:05:57 -0400

Rep. Earl Jones says Rep. Thomas Wright should be censured.

The Greensboro Democrat said today that he will push for censure, and not expulsion, during a special session tomorrow on Wright's ethics charges, David Ingram reports.

"I won't be supporting expulsion. I think there are a lot of problems with it," Jones said. "Expulsion shows no respect for the other democratic processes."

Jones was the first of Wright's colleagues to publicly say that he will not vote for expulsion, arguing that the standard of evidence is too low.

"It should be `beyond a reasonable doubt' or it should be `high crimes and misdemeanors,' " he said, referring to the standard for criminal convictions and, in part, to the standard for removing the U.S. president.

Jones is a member of the Legislative Black Caucus. Earlier reports were that members of the caucus would propose censure.

Wright didn't vote on 1996 censure

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 16:39:38 -0400

The last time the N.C. House of Representatives disciplined one of its own members was May 13, 1996.

On that day, legislators scolded then-Rep. Ken Miller, an Alamance County Republican, for inappropriate advances toward an employee, a lobbyist and a House page, Dave Ingram reports.

By a 113-1 vote, the House censured Miller. He was the lone "no" vote. Four legislators had excused absences that day. Two others were not excused and did not vote.

The names of these last two: Reps. Edward Bowen, a Sampson County Democrat, and Thomas Wright, a Wilmington Democrat.

A search of news articles from the time turned up no reason why Wright failed to vote on Miller's censure.

But on Thursday, the House is scheduled to vote on whether to expel Wright from office over several charges of unethical conduct, including his handling of $350,000 in campaign, charitable and corporate money.

Will Black Caucus propose censure?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:47:33 -0400

The N.C. Legislative Black Caucus may propose a censure motion.

With the state legislature meeting next week to consider expelling state Rep. Thomas Wright, the censure would be an alternative that would allow him to retain his seat.

All this week, rumors have circulated on Jones Street that a censure motion was being prepared, David Ingram reports.

Members of the caucus have confirmed that they are planning a meeting ahead of Thursday's special session, but they could not say what is on the agenda.

Asked if they would discuss a censure motion, state Rep. Earl Jones, a Guilford Democrat who belongs to the caucus, would not answer.

"That may be true," he said. He laughed, paused, then added, "I can't confirm or deny that."