From the time Joe Sinsheimer first called for ex-Speaker Jim Black to step down, people asked me who I thought was paying Joe.

Having known Joe for many years, I said: nobody. He’s much more dangerous than a paid operative. He’s driven by his conscience.

And he has three qualities that are rare in politics: guts, indignation and tenacity. On top of that, he is a meticulous researcher.

Now Joe is treading in territory that even gives him pause – African-Americans in the House Democratic caucus.

Scandals are swirling around Rep. Thomas Wright. Rep. William Wainwright has been named publicly in connection with questionable fundraising. This week Rep. Mary McAllister was in Under the Dome because of personal loans from her campaign. And Laura Leslie of WUNC-FM reports in her excellent blog (http://wunc.org/news/Isaac-Hunters-Tavern/blog) that rumors are buzzing about missing money in the Black Leadership Caucus’ scholarship fund.

When Sinsheimer raised questions about Wright, Wright told the Wilmington paper that maybe Joe “doesn’t like black people.” Or maybe Wright meant “Speaker Black people.”

No Democrat is comfortable with the racial angle. But neither can Democrats shy away from full accounting of any questionable fundraising.

Joe will not. And he should not.

Too many Democrats were burned by Jim Black. They believed him when he said he had done nothing wrong.

I learned one lesson from Jim Hunt: If there is a problem, get it out and get it fixed. Voters forgive mistakes. But not coverups.

Joe Sinsheimer is helping, not hurting, Democrats in North Carolina.

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