RALEIGH - RALEIGH -- Rep. Thomas Wright repeatedly engaged in unethical and criminal conduct by misusing more than $340,000 in loans and campaign contributions while in office, a state attorney told a legislative ethics panel Monday.

Bill Hart, a special deputy attorney general, levied allegations against the Wilmington Democrat during opening arguments before the panel. The six-member committee is considering seven counts of ethical misconduct that are nearly identical to criminal charges against Wright.

Hart, who is presenting evidence on behalf of the committee, said evidence will show that between 2000 and 2006, Wright "engaged in a pattern of improper, unethical and criminal conduct while a legislator in this General Assembly." The panel could ultimately recommend that the full House censure Wright or expel him from the chamber. A General Assembly member hasn't been expelled since 1880.

Wright's attorney, Douglas Harris, said his client has been unfairly targeted.

Harris said creating the special House committee to consider ethics allegations equated to racial bias against Wright, who is black. He told panel chairman Rep. Rick Glazier that a similar panel wasn't created to consider ethics charges against a white legislator who faced similar allegations last year.

"What we have is a white man being treated one way and a black man being treated another way," Harris told Glazier. "This is a Jim Crow proceeding if he gets treated differently."

Glazier allowed the hearing to go forward but told Harris his motion to halt the hearing would be considered if put in writing. Glazier also denied other motions to delay the hearing; Harris had said he needed more time to review potential evidence and said the hearing would taint the criminal jury pool.

Wright declined to offer an opening statement until after state attorneys presented evidence and as many as 10 witnesses. The committee is considering seven counts of misconduct. One alleges Wright failed to report $185,000 in campaign contributions from 2000 through January 2007.

Other counts accuse the eight-term House member of fraudulently obtaining a $150,000 bank loan for his charitable foundation by soliciting Torlen Wade, a state health administrator, to write a letter about a fake grant.

Wright wanted the Community's Health Foundation to purchase a historic Wilmington building to open a museum commemorating the city's 1898 race riot, according to evidence presented by state officials.

Wade, the state's first witness, told the committee he agreed to write the letter in 2002 to kick-start the project even though he had no authority to do so.

"It was a combination of the urgency and the pressure of Representative Wright," Wade said. "This was very important to him and he made it very clear that he needed my help on this."

Wright's attorney, Irving Joyner, began cross-examining Wade on Monday afternoon.

The misconduct counts also accuse Wright of fraudulently soliciting three companies for $8,900 in donations that were supposed to be for the foundation's charitable work. Instead, Wright deposited the money into his personal bank accounts. Hart cited an interview with a State Bureau of Investigation agent who said the money was "sweat equity" and served as reimbursement for Wright's foundation work. The agent is expected to testify later.

The House committee agreed Monday to remove an eighth misconduct count that accused Wright of personally using a $10,000 line of credit approved for the foundation. Hart said he hadn't been able to contact more witnesses related to the count.

The misconduct counts are similar to six felony charges levied in a criminal indictment filed against Wright in December. A trial date has not been set.

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