Nation IN BRIEF : WASHINGTON, D.C. : Wright to Pay Fine on Campaign Funds

Former House Speaker Jim Wright has agreed to settle charges that he accepted thousands of dollars in excessive and illegal campaign contributions by paying a $15,000 civil penalty, federal campaign monitors said. Wright’s settlement with the Federal Election Commission reveals a tangled web of fund-raising and political action committees used by the Ft. Worth Democrat for his own and political allies’ campaigns. Wright’s PAC must refund $1,750 in excess contributions to three Texas Utilities Co. PACs. Wright’s PAC must also refund its remaining money to his principal campaign committee to compensate for excess contributions.