Here are some quotes from people who attended the hearing:

Rep. Pete Cunningham, D-Mecklenburg:

I don’t like to kick anybody when he’s down. I would need to know more about what — I’m not — that’s an accusation, as far as I’m concerned. And I’m not going to change my feelings toward a person until I hear all the facts. It’s hard to believe.

I don’t know why he did what they say he did, if he did it.

You tell me what you want me to say and what language you want me to say it in. It’s very surprising. I don’t know how to respond to that.

I don’t know what made him respond that he took some money. I’ve never seen that side of Jim Black.  I don’t know him that way. I don’t know that he would take money.

Linda Daves, N.C. GOP chairman:

I’d like to send the message that not all public officials are corrupt. But any elected official — when they disregard the law — they are accountable and should be held accountable to the laws, just like everyone else. And the Democrat Party is not calling for any kind of acknowledgment of guilt. They sort of have their head in the sand like, “We’re victims.” That is what people who break the law always say. “Somebody else made me do it.” Jim Black is not a victim. He is a perpetrator of unprecedented corruption in the state of North Carolina.

Joe Sinsheimer, JimBlackMustGo.com

We just have a man who’s willing to say and do anything — including solicit cash in a bathroom from a special interest — and it’s shocking.

The speaker was obsessed with retaining support of the caucus. And one of the ways he could do that was to hand out favors to state representatives inside his caucus. And he used the transportation slush fund to do that. He used the $15 million slush fund that he and Sen. Basnight created, where he could basically dole out state grants to favorite foundations and charities supported by folks. He used his own campaign account to get $4,000 contributions from elected officials who didn’t even have races. He would do anything in his power to retain control of that caucus. Part of my guess is that he used this cash to curry favor with other state representatives inside his caucus. And the Democratic caucus has basically become an outfit where members stand around with their hand out.