Called to a special session last Thursday, the General Assembly of North Carolina took little more than an hour to expel eight-term Democratic Rep. Thomas Wright from the state legislature. With all but five members in attendance, a stunning majority of the House agreed 109-5 that the allegations of ethical misconductâ hiding or mishandling $340,000 in loans and campaign fundsâ warranted the first removal of a member since 1880. Despite speculation that the Legislative Black Caucus, which includes 20 Democrats, would back their former chairman, the vote to expel handily exceeded the required two-thirds majority of 80. As soon as the vote was concluded, the House sergeants-at-arms wasted no time in escorting Wright out the door.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=177768