Wright's Attorney Doug Harris
The hearings regarding Rep. Thomas Wright continue today. I'm keeping an ear on things but the bar keep can give you the blow-by-blow.
One of Wright's attorney's is Douglas S. Harris of Greensboro. I've gotten a couple questions about him that go something like, "wasn't he disbarred?"
Well, no, not exactly. He did have a run-in with the N.C. Bar Association a few years back. Here are appellate level and rulings related to that case. And here is the North Carolina State Bar's final ruling on the case. That order doesn't disbar Harris, but does take exception to his actions in a personal injury case. The final ruling suspends his law license for two years but stays that suspension (meaning it's not in effect) provided that he not run afoul of another disciplinary hearing.
The bar association rapped him for not maintaining records, not withdrawing from representation when a client discharged him and not handling an insurance settlement correctly.
I'm not really sure this has much to do with the current proceedings, but I've gotten a couple of questions about it...so there you go.
As for today's festivities on Jones Street, they've just broken for lunch. The Associated Press reports:
An attorney for Rep. Thomas Wright is questioning a state elections board investigator about campaign contributions she says Wright failed to disclose.Irving Joyner cross-examined investigator Kim Strach on Thursday about her testimony Wednesday before a legislative ethics committee. The House panel is considering whether Wright engaged in unethical conduct and could recommend he be censured or expelled from office.
Strach said the Wilmington Democrat didn't report $180,000 in contributions between 2000 and 2006. But Joyner questioned the assumptions Strach made while considering which unreported checks and expenditures were for political purposes and needed to be reported.
Strach acknowledged she hadn't tried to talk with Wright in recent months about whether expenses were for political or business purposes.