The Hair Apparent: James Traficant Files As An Independent In Ohio

[napi21]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/politicaljunkie/2010/05/03/126479074/the-hair-apparent-james-traficant-files-as-an-independent-in-ohio-17

James Traficant, who spent nine terms in Congress as a Democrat from Youngstown, Ohio — who then went on to spend seven years in prison on corruption charges — has filed papers that would get him on the November ballot for his old job, but this time as an independent.

I wonder if Youngstown will be crazy enough to elect him?

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

1. LOL at that headline. nt

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Wasn't any of the convictions more than a misdemeanor?

[Warpy]

3. Yes

From Wiki: "He was expelled after being convicted of taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering, and forcing his aides to perform chores at his farm in Ohio and on his houseboat in Washington, D.C.,<1> and was released from prison on September 2, 2009, after serving a seven-year sentence.<2>" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Traficant

[slackmaster]

4. Beam me up!

[EarlG]

5. ...

[AnArmyVeteran]

6. I met Jim and liked him. He spoke at the Reform Party Inaugural Convention

Jim got a standing ovation from Reform Party delegates. He spoke just before Granny D. and she received a standing ovation too. I believe Jim was targeted by both democrats and republicans because he wasn't shy and often called both democrats and republicans political prostitutes. Look at all the truly corrupt thugs who are still senators and congress members? Jim at least was on the side of the people.

I'd like to see him win. At least he would have more guts than almost every other democrat in congress combined!

[Liberal In Texas]

7. He's an Alex Jones regular.

He loves him some conspiracy theories.

[gmoney]

8. And Ohio continues to battle Florida for the title of "Nuttiest State"...

wouldn't surprise me if the crackpot doesn't manage to get himself elected...

[RollWithIt]

9. That district is now Tim Ryan's until he dies, the map is redrawn, or he seeks other offices

Locked in. It comprises half of summit county, portage county (Kent), Youngstown. Back when Trafficant was forcing hsi aides to shovel horse shit it was just Youngstown.

[icymist]

10. The answer to your question is YES!

Let me tell you a little story..... Back in 1982 I lived in Youngstown, Ohio, moving there after losing my good paying job in Hubbard (just 14 miles away) the year before. James Traficant was the sheriff of Mahoning county and was being investigated for his involvement of missing traffic counters from the municipal airport there. The counters had turned up in a lake that all of us natives of the area call 'syndicate lake', rumored to have more bodies in it than any local cemetery. Traficant was being investigated for the accepting of possible bribes from two organizations (mob families), one from Cleveland and the other from Pittsburgh, who were trying to muscle into the area. It seems that that part of interstate 80 is a major stop over spot in the trucking industry, being halfway between Chicago and NYC. Anyhoo, one day Traficant turns up with a foot wound, a gunshot he claims came from one of the mob families. This was covered well in the news out there with almost nobody in Youngstown being ignorant of this story. There was also two motorcycle gangs, The Outlaws and the Pagans, fighting, openly at times, in the streets. A week after the gunshot story broke another story came about with Traficant having self-inflicted the gunshot wound in order to evade the mob. In Early 1983 I moved to Illinois, turned on C-Span and found that the people of Youngstown had voted this character to Congress! So to answer your question.....Yes! they voted him into office with all the knowledge of mob ties so they will vote him into office again, knowing full well that he's corrupt!

[classysassy]

11. Can felons vote?

Maybe not, but they can serve with their fellow crooks in congress.