RALEIGH

A Wake Superior Court judge declined yesterday to block a legislative ethics hearing next week against state Rep. Thomas Wright, saying that it isn’t his place to intervene in the disciplinary affairs of the legislature.

Wright’s attorney asked Judge Paul Ridgeway to prevent a House committee from meeting Monday to consider ethical misconduct charges against Wright. He said that media coverage would taint the jury pool in Wright’s coming criminal trial on similar allegations and unveil his defense strategy to prosecutors. (more…)