• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Call for Black to Step Down Grows: 2 More Democrats Say Speaker Should Leave Post; Total Now at 4

Posted on: Tuesday, 4 April 2006, 06:00 CDT

By Mark Johnson and Jim Morrill, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Apr. 4--RALEIGH -- House Speaker Jim Black's grip on his office appeared to slip a little Monday as two more House Democrats called for him to step down, making four defections in five days.

The dissension added to the troubles facing Black, a Mecklenburg Democrat, who is close to tying the eight-year record for longest tenure as speaker. The state elections board has asked a prosecutor to consider criminal charges. A federal grand jury has subpoenaed documents and testimony from Black's office.

A House deputy majority leader, Rep. Hugh Holliman of Lexington, and Rep. Alice Graham Underhill of New Bern said Monday that Black should step down as speaker.

Julie Robinson, Black's spokeswoman, said such decisions are up to individual members, but Black will continue to work with all of them.

"Speaker Black has done nothing to warrant his resignation," Robinson said, "and he is cooperating fully with investigators, but he believes that his most important priority at this time is getting ready for the start of session (on May 9)."

Some General Assembly veterans say the loss of what had been unified backing among Democrats signals a crumbling of Black's core support.

"It's not much longer," said Andy Dedmon, a former Democratic House member from Cleveland County. "When you start to lose your base of support within the Democratic caucus, you can't govern."

Underhill dispatched a letter to Black, saying the ongoing investigations tied to his office have done "severe and irreparable" damage to the speaker's office.

"It's distracting from a lot of the issues (constituents) would like to see us addressing in Raleigh," Underhill said in a telephone interview. "It's a total distraction from what we're going to need to be addressing."

The State Board of Elections ruled two weeks ago that Black and his campaign, as well as a political committee for optometrists, broke campaign law. They collected campaign contribution checks from optometrists with the "payee" line left blank. Black or an optometrist committee leader filled in the name of a specific candidate.

The elections board ruled that that system violated disclosure laws, while Black's lawyers highlighted a statute they contend allows the practice.

Holliman, who has expressed interest in being speaker if Black steps down, said Black could step down permanently or temporarily, until his legal issues are resolved. Holliman said he has grown increasingly concerned about the effect of the controversies on districts where Democrats and Republicans have about equal support.

"I'm very concerned that we'll lose the majority," Holliman said.

One Democrat called Thursday for Black to step down, and another on Friday proposed he step aside temporarily. Over the weekend a third called for a meeting of all House Democrats to discuss their leadership.

Democrats hold a 63 to 57 majority in the House. The loss of four seats puts the House in Republican control.

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)

More News in this Category