Sen. R.C. Soles pleaded guilty Thursday to shooting someone, paid a $1,000 fine, went back to being a senator and left another smudge on the voters' already soiled picture of North Carolina's political leaders.

Soles,75, a top-ranking Democrat in the N.C. Senate and the state's longest-serving legislator, copped to a misdemeanor charge of assault andjoined other public figures in a parade of recent career-ending scandals.

His plea spared him a felony conviction for the August shooting of a would-be intruder, a young manwho was a former law client, at Soles' home in Tabor City. The senator long claimed that he shot in self-defense.

Soles will continue to practice law and will finish out his Senate term, his lawyer said. He announced in December that he wouldn't run for re-election this year but said Thursday that he was tempted.

"My gut feeling says go to the Board of Elections and sign up," Soles told The Associated Press, "but I don't think I'll do that."

Soles' exit from politics comes after an embarrassing string of events that ended Thursday with what some called a light penalty.

He was North Carolina's latest politician to fall.

An aide to former Gov. Mike Easley was indicted last month on federal corruption charges, and a federal grand jury is looking into Easley's actions. Former Speaker of the House Jim Black is in prison on a corruption conviction, as are two former legislators and a former lottery commissioner. A former congressman just got out. All but one are Democrats.

"All of that gives a lot of people a lot of heartburn," said Sen. David Hoyle, a Gaston County Democrat who is not running for re-election. "The citizens are very disgusted with all politicians from both parties."

Soles' plea will provide Republicans ammunition for campaign attacks.

"The rules for regular folks and for powerful Democrats are apparently different in Columbus County and maybe in the state," said Senate Republican leader Phil Berger of Eden. "I don't know too many folks who could plead guilty to shooting someone and the penalty is a $1,000fine."

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