By Kirk Ross
Staff Writer
House Speaker Joe Hackney says the lengthy prison sentence for his predecessor underlines the consequences of breaching the public trust.
Former House Speaker Jim Black was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for accepting $29,000 from chiropractors in exchange for favorable legislation. Black, who served four terms as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, is the highest-ranking state official to be convicted of corruption.
The 72-year-old optometrist from Matthews also received a $50,000 fine and three years probation.
Black’s lawyers argued that he should be allowed to go into a house arrest program and would give free eye exams to the indigent if allowed to do so.
Prosecutors argued that Black violated a plea deal in which he agreed to cooperate with investigators. After the sentencing, U.S. Attorney George Holding said the former speaker deserved every day of the sentence he got.
Black still faces charges in state court.
Hackney, who served under Black as House Majority Leader, said that Black’s accomplishments do not outweigh his obligation to his oath to uphold the law.
“Jim Black was a valuable servant to this state for many years, but the sort of crimes he has admitted to can never be excused for a public official,†Hackney said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. “This prison sentence sends a strong message to all of us that neither the public nor the courts will tolerate dishonesty by their elected representatives. We have already put measures in place to restore confidence in our House of Representatives. I hope we are on our way to regaining the public’s trust.â€
In last year’s session of the legislature, as word circulated that an investigation of Black was likely to lead an indictment, Hackney pushed through a comprehensive set of reforms that included a ban on gifts from lobbyists and tightened campaign reporting rules and use of campaign funds.