Lobbyist cleared, Blue Cross says

A spokesman for Blue Cross and Blue Shield says the SBI and Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby have cleared one of the insurance company's lobbyists in a alleged attempted bribery case handed over by the Legislative Ethics Commission.

Ken Wright, a veteran lobbyist for the insurer, was accused of trying to bribe Rep. Fred Steen, a Rowan County Republican in May. Ethics committee leaders declared, without naming either Wright or Steen, that Steen had done the right thing and the case had been referred to law enforcement officials.

Blue Cross spokesman Lew Borman said Willoughby and the State Bureau of Investigation looked into the matter and found no evidence of a crime.

"We're grateful to the SBI and the Wake County District Attorney for their thorough, swift and professional investigation," Borman said. "Ken is a valuable member of the Blue Cross family. We're pleased, but not surprised, and the matter is closed."

More after the jump.

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The allegation was that Wright pledged that Blue Cross would reduce the debt of a doctor in Steen's district if Steen withdrew a bill he sponsored. Countering versions of what transpired quickly emerged, raising questions of whether the incident had been more of a misunderstanding.

Rep. Rick Glazier, a Fayetteville Democrat and co-chair of the ethics committee would not discuss specifics but said that "any decision made by the district attorney's office is one made after an appropriate and extensive evaluation and investigation."

Wright, who has been absent from the Legislative Building since the allegation, is expected back there this evening.