Audio from Wright's expulsion
Here are sounds and comments from the General Assembly session to expel Rep. Thomas Wright:
Wright did not have a lot to say after he was expelled today, letting his lawyers respond to questions from reporters. He did comment on one question about what he was hearing from people in his district. "They still support me...We'll let the people of the district make their decision soon." Click here to listen.
Previously: Rep. Maggie Jeffus.
One of Wright's defense lawyers, Irving Joyner of the North Carolina Central University Law School, called the House's action "a prime example of a rush to judgment. Click here to listen to some of his comments after the expulsion.
Rep. Laura Wiley of High Point sat on the special ethics committee that heard the bulk of the Wright case. "I think the seriousness and the evidence lead us to the only thing we could of done, which was expulsion," she said after the hearing. Click here to listen to more of her comments.
Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro Republican, said that getting rid of Wright only throws out one bad apple, but doesn't protect the entire barrel. "Until we stop having certain people be able to control the flow of bills at the expense of the entire body ... there's going to be abuse of that power." Click here to listen to more of his comments.
Rep. Earl Jones, a Greensboro Democrat, pushed for censure rather than expulsion. Click here to listen to his comments, made after ethics committee chairman Rick Glazier, a Democrat, and co-chairman Paul Stam, a Republican, urged the chamber to reject Jones' motion. "It's wrong to just trump and veto the voters who are going to go to the polls (during) the May 6 primary and decide Rep. Wright's fate," he said.
Wright spoke for less than four minutes in his own defense. Click here to listen to his full comments.
Rep. Hugh Holliman, a Davidson County Democrat and the House Majority Leader, offered the last piece of debate on the expulsion motion before it was voted. "Every other power and authority granted to us by the people of the state rests on our ability to make sure that above all, the members of our body are fit to serve the public," Holliman said. Click here to listen to his full comments.
That's it from me for now. The lady of the tavern has promised more audio, and the Legion of Dome has put up a short video of the day's proceedings.