Wright agrees to resign, sets off rush for his chair

State Sen. Roderick Wright agreed Monday to resign from the Legislature next week, heading off any attempts by his fellow Democrats to force him out. Some Democratic leaders said they were sorry to see him go and intimated that Wright got screwed. He was convicted of charges arising from not living in the district where he ran and registered to vote. "Today is a sad day for both my friend and for California," incoming Senate leader Kevin De León said in a statement. "Sen. Wright's prosecution has been unfortunate and, in many ways, unfair. At best, this is an ambiguous law and, in this case, its application has been both arbitrary and selective. But today, Sen. Wright did the right thing for his community and the Senate by resigning from office."

Wright sounded bitter in a message the LA Times says was posted last Friday to members of the West Los Angeles Democratic Club."This amounted to a 21st century lynching," Wright said. "They literally redefined the law and retroactively charged me with violating it."

Gov Jerry Brown will have 14 days from Wright's resignation, expected on Sept. 22, to call a special election in the Inglewood and south LA County district. Assemblymen Steven Bradford of Gardena and Isadore Hall of Compton announced they would run. The timing does not allow consolidating the election with the November general election.

Wright was sentenced last week to 90 days in county jail, to begin Oct. 31. He also was banned from holding office.