FORT WORTH, Texas, May 6 (UPI) -- Jim Wright, the only Speaker of the House of Representatives forced from the position by scandal, died Wednesday in Fort Worth, Texas, Wednesday at 92.
A Democrat, Wright represented his Fort Worth district for 34 years, until 1989, when he resigned amid mounting allegations of gift-giving violations, outside business interests and outside income from book royalties. Wright never conceded any wrongdoing. Constant criticism of Wright by Newt Gingrich, who became speaker in 1995, is cited as the start of the current era of partisan rancor in the U.S. Congress. Gingrich eventually had an ethics scandal of his own, and in 1998 became the first speaker reprimanded for ethical wrongdoing by the House.