NC governor pardon to be heard next week

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — North Carolina lawmakers will consider the pardon of a governor ousted after fighting the Ku Klux Klan during a meeting next week in the same historic building where the House impeached and the Senate convicted him.

A chief sponsor of resolution to pardon former Gov. William Woods Holden said Friday that Senate leaders have told him the legislation will be acted upon Tuesday during a meeting of the Legislature in the old Capitol building.

Sen. Neal Hunt said the 1830 building is a fitting venue. Holden was impeached in 1870 after he ordered a militia to quell activity by the KKK.

A pardon vote got sidetracked two weeks ago when a staff member placed a document on the desk of senators questioning whether Holden deserved a pardon.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)