DAMN! Traficant loses another one

[underpants]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/court_traficant_dc

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - James Traficant, a flamboyant former congressman, lost an appeal on Monday seeking U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) review of his conviction on corruption charges and of his eight-year prison sentence.

In appealing to the Supreme Court, Traficant's lawyers argued that he had been tried twice for the same crimes -- once by federal prosecutors and a second time by the House Ethics Committee. They also said the way the jury had been selected at his trial gave an unfair advantage to prosecutors.

The Supreme Court rejected Traficant's appeal without comment. A federal appeals court last year upheld his conviction.


Traficant was convicted in 2002 for bribery, obstruction of justice, conspiracy, filing false tax returns and violating the racketeering law. He was found guilty of taking kickbacks and favors from businessmen and staff members.

[no name no slogan]

1. Must have worn the wrong wig to court.

GO Jim Go!

[spooky3]

2. if he'd been more patient, the new Rethug ethics rules

would have cleared him. Ooops, forgot that they only apply to Dems.

[liberalnurse]

3. Isn't that the shameful truth......

Congressional hypocrites....running rampant.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Actually, the GOP controlled House voted to expell him

[spooky3]

5. which is my point--if a Dem does X, it's unacceptable.

If a Rep does X to the 10th power, no problem.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. He wasn't really a Democrat anymore

He voted for Hastert for Speaker, and the Democratic leadership responded by stripping him of his committee assignments. He didn't caucus with the Democrats anymore, and was running for reelection as an independent.

[spooky3]

7. sorry, didn't mean to be confusing--I'm not a fan of Traficant--I'm

simply trying to make the point that he's (rightly) considered to have behaved badly, but there is a double standard for Republicans as evidenced in the BS over Delay.