Wake GOP candidates call on Democrats to end code of silence

WAKE COUNTY, NC – Five Wake County Republican candidates for the North Carolina State House today called on their Democratic opponents to publicly pressure State Rep. Thomas Wright (D – Wilmington) to resign.

Duane Cutlip, Bryan Gossage, JH Ross, Paul Terrell, and Eric Weaver each face incumbent Democrats in the November 2008 General Election.

“Our Democrat opponents in the House are just protecting one of their own and protecting their own images,” says Weaver, who is running in District 35. “Their code of silence has emboldened Thomas Wright to press on in spite of the mountain of evidence against him, embarrassing our State House even more.”

“For Democrats, this is another PR nightmare,” says Gossage, owner of a small public relations firm and an Apex Councilman running in House District 41. “Of course they want to keep a low profile and bring as little attention to this issue, and their dismal response, as possible.”

“These legislators kept their heads down during their 2006 campaigns [when Democratic House Speaker Jim Black resigned before being imprisoned] and they are doing the same thing again – hiding in the shadows hoping no one will notice,” says Terrell, who is running for the District 33 seat. “Well, we’re going to shine some light on that strategy, so the public can see the lack of local leadership in yet another scandal plaguing House Democrats.”

“There’s absolutely no reason for them to wait for a special session to expel Thomas Wright, which is what they’ll probably say is best,” notes Cutlip, the GOP’s District 39 candidate. “Just the opposite is true because these legislators could save our state money, time and further humiliation by pressuring him to resign now.”

“Their code of silence is shameful,” says Ross, candidate for Raleigh’s 34th District. “Each of these legislators needs to be publicly called out for their lack of willingness to step forward and do what’s right. Each one is putting partisan politics ahead of the best interests of our state.”

Last year a Wake County grand jury indicted Wright on six felony charges. Costs for a special session of the General Assembly are estimated to be about $63,000 per day.