Most legislators seem to get it now, but some ... maybe not
I expected Earl Jones to come up with some reason to vote against expelling state Rep. Thomas Wright yesterday, however flimsy. He didn't disappoint.
From Mark's story:
"You have to be practical, fair and just regarding this," Jones said. "We're talking about the type of punishment, and I think it's wrong to just trump and veto the voters who are going to go to the poll in the May 6 primary and decide Rep. Wright's fate."
Gotcha, just leave it up to the voters. Which means let the voters set the ethical standards for the legislature. A person might be an obvious crook, but if the voters of his district elect him, well heck, nothing we can do about it.
Jones was one of five representatives (including Wright himself) voting against expulsion. That should tell Speaker Joe Hackney whom NOT to ever appoint to the House Ethics Committee.
I was more surprised by Maggie Jeffus' explanation for supporting a reprimand as first option:
"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," Jeffus said.
Um, no, not the same kind of result. Censure (or reprimand), he stays. Expulsion, he goes.
In the end, Jeffus did vote for expulsion, so she's a little wiser than Jones.
The Wright expulsion was a big step for the House of Representatives as it tries to cleanse itself of the Jim Black slime. Most of its members seem to get it now, but there are still some who don't.
Note: Excellent reporting on Mark's blog.
Update: The N&O finds something in common among Wright's supporters ... and Wright.
Comments (4)
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The Wright expulsion was a big step for the House of Representatives as it tries to cleanse itself of the Jim Black slime. Most of its members seem to get it now, but there are still some who don't.* Doug
And it appears that some journalists and reporters don't get it too! Whatever happen to the term " innocent until proven gulity under the rule of law?
Where were you people when Speaker Black was running the show? Where were you when Nifong was running out of control?
Whatever happen to the " We the people coming first instead of " We the House of Representatives"
Posted on March 21, 2008 1:04 PM
Thank yo CM you took the words right out of my mouth.
Posted on March 22, 2008 6:15 AM
You guys understand each other?
Posted on March 22, 2008 11:08 AM
Tell you one better than that, I was in Raleigh yesterday ( they had a basketball game down there) the word was Wright would still be one of the good ole boys had it not been election year.
Posted on March 23, 2008 11:57 PM