Robert Charles Soles Jr. (December 17, 1934 – February 5, 2021) was a
Democratic member of the
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...
, representing the 8th district from 1977 to 2011. His district included
Brunswick,
Columbus
Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to:
* Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer
* Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio
Columbus may also refer to:
Places ...
and
Pender counties. From 1969 to 1976, Soles served in the
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...
. Republican
Bill Rabon now holds the seat that Soles held for over three decades; it had not been held by a Republican since 1869.
Soles was the chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
Biography
He was the son of Robert C. (Rob) Soles, a local hardware store owner. He attended the Tabor City school system before leaving briefly to attend university.
Soles was a lifelong bachelor with a close endearing friendship to his lifelong law partner, William(Bill) W. Phipps. They built adjacent houses in a private neighborhood on Lake Tabor.
Career
Soles graduated with a B.A. from
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Founded in 1834, the university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina. The Reynolda Campus, the un ...
and received his J.D. from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
.
He was a practicing attorney at Soles, Phipps, Ray, and Prince Law Firm in
Tabor City, North Carolina
Tabor City, known as the "Yam Capital of the World", is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. It is the southernmost town in Columbus County, one of North Carolina's largest counties by land area. It is located just north of ...
. Sherry Dew Prince broke ties with Soles when she pursued an elected position as a District Judge and she opened a solo practice in
Whiteville, North Carolina
Whiteville is a city in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,394 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city in Columbus County and is the county seat.
History
Columbus County was created in 1808. In 1810, a commu ...
. In 2006, the N.C. Bar Association inducted him into the General Practice Hall of Fame. At one point, the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research named him the 8th most effective member of the legislature.
Soles was the founding president of the
Southeastern Community College Foundation, a former member of the Governor's Crime Commission, and former board member of the Columbus County Community Foundation and Opera Company of North Carolina.
1980s criminal investigations
Soles was indicted in 1983 for conspiracy, vote buying, perjury, and aiding and abetting bribery. A judge dismissed three of the charges and Soles was acquitted of aiding and abetting
Columbus County Commissioner Edward Walton Williamson in obtaining payoffs from undercover FBI agents.
Allegations and Assault conviction
In 2009 allegations from several men were published, claiming that Soles
sexually abused
Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...
them when they were minors. In another incident, he allegedly
pepper spray
Pepper spray, oleoresin capsicum spray, OC spray, capsaicin spray, or capsicum spray is a lachrymatory agent (a compound that irritates the eyes to cause a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, cr ...
ed a young man. Soles has denied having sexual relations with any of the young men. In an August, 2009 incident, he shot a young man and former legal client in the leg while he was allegedly trying to kick in Soles' front door. Soles' lawyer, Joseph Cheshire, said the shooting was self-defense. Cheshire and Soles both stated that Soles has been generous to former clients in hoping to ease them back to a law-abiding life.
On December 30, 2009, Soles (at the time, the longest-serving legislator in the state) announced he would not seek re-election in 2010.
On 7 January 2010, Soles was indicted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. Soles pled guilty to assault with a deadly weapon and was fined $1,000.
The allegations resurfaced in June 2011, with three men having publicly accused Soles of sexual abuse.
R.C. Soles accused of taking advantage of troubled teens; ex-senator denies allegations , StarNewsOnline.com
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References
*https://web.archive.org/web/20090903141106/http://www.wwaytv3.com/news_tags/sen_rc_soles_0
*8. https://nrcolumbus.com/r-c-soles-dead-at-86-represented-columbus-42-years-in-general-assembly/
External links
North Carolina General Assembly – Senator R.C. Soles Jr.
Official NC Senate Website
Project Vote Smart – Senator R.C. Soles Jr. (NC)
profile
profile
*''Follow the Money'' – R.C. Soles Jr.
2008200620042002200019981996
campaign contributions
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Soles, R. C. Jr.
1934 births
2021 deaths
American people convicted of assault
North Carolina state senators
Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives
North Carolina lawyers
University of North Carolina School of Law alumni
Wake Forest University alumni
21st-century American legislators
People from Tabor City, North Carolina
North Carolina politicians convicted of crimes
21st-century North Carolina politicians