Traficant has enough signatures to run

[babylonsister]

Traficant has enough signatures to run
By Jordan Fabian - 08/31/10 08:42 AM ET


An Ohio county elections board said Monday that former Rep. Jim Traficant has the signatures to run for his old seat.

The Associated Press reported that the director of the Mahoning County board, Tom McCabe, said that the panel approved over 30 disputed signatures Traficant needed to run for Congress in the Youngstown area.

Traficant, a Democrat, was expelled from Congress in 2002 after being convicted on corruption charges and is seeking to make a comeback as an independent.

The colorful ex-congressman's bid hit a speed bump after several petition signatures in support of his effort were ruled invalid in July. But Traficant was granted an extension to gather additional signatures.

Officials in nearby Trumbull County are expected to certify the total on Wednesday, giving final approval to Traficant's upstart bid.

more...

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/116523-traficant-has-signatures-to-run-for-congress

[Kolesar]

1. Congressman Ryan should be able to squish this pest

Traficant needs money and he is doing this as a publicity stunt.

[babylonsister]

2. CREW Welcomes James Traficant to the List of America's Most Crooked Candidates

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/08/31-5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2010
1:54 PM


CONTACT: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Garrett Russo // 202.408.5565
CREW Welcomes James Traficant to the List of America's Most Crooked Candidates

WASHINGTON - August 31 - Being a convicted felon ought to disqualify someone from being elected to Congress; unfortunately it doesn't. When a convicted crook like James Traficant (I-Ohio) runs for Congress, it does, however, unquestionably qualify him to join the Wall of Shame that is America's Most Crooked Candidates. Since Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) first released the list in late July, two candidates listed have been defeated. Traficant is an exceptional entry to the list - he's one of only two people ever to be expelled by the House of Representatives since the Civil War.

The Youngtown, Ohio-area former congressman was convicted in 2002 of 10 bribery, tax evasion and racketeering charges. He was recently released from prison after serving a seven year sentence.

"Given his felony convictions, for Mr. Traficant to claim he is the best person to represent the 17th district of Ohio suggests he has -- to borrow his favorite tag-line -- been beamed up by Scotty," said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan.

CREW's Crooked Candidates focuses on office-seekers who have engaged in unethical and sometimes criminal conduct. Their misdeeds range from quid pro quo schemes to abusing state office for the benefit of friends and donors, to an obscenity charge. A few candidates even made the list because of their involvement in national political scandals: two were involved in the Abramoff investigation and one played a role in the Bush administration's politicization of the U.S. Attorneys' offices. Two crooked candidates (J.D. Hayworth and Jeff Greene) have already been defeated.

"The American People deserve better," concluded Ms. Sloan. "We shouldn't have to choose between the lesser of two evils when we go to vote, and we shouldn't have to worry that the Most Corrupt Candidates will someday grow up to become the Most Corrupt Members of Congress."

With more than 2,300 people running for office this year, CREW's list is likely only the tip of the iceberg. CREW invites anyone who is aware of a particularly disgraceful candidate to forward information about that candidate's misdeeds to: [e-mail].

###

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials -- regardless of party affiliation -- who sacrifice the common good to special interests. CREW advances its mission using a combination of research, litigation and media outreach.

[msanthrope]

3. Yes, but does his HAIR have enough signatures?

Because without his hair, he just isn't the same....

[DJ13]

4. They werent signing for Trafficant, they felt sorry for that squirrel on his head

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

5. My mind still can't process that someone with that name got elected. -nt

[slackmaster]

6. Excellent! K&R, and Beam Me Up!

[AnArmyVeteran]

7. Say what you want about Jim but he attacked political prostitutes while serving.

I believe his constant outing of a lot of republican and democrat politicians as prostitutes was the final straw. I met Jim in 1998 and then heard him speak. He gave a tremendous speech against the corrupting influence of having too much money in politics. He was given a long, standing ovation from the 1,000 people in the audience.

[Kolesar]

8. Traficant was taking bribes from gangsters when he was county sheriff

The Bonanno syndicate (likely) fixed the jury, so the FBI lost that case against him. Then he ran for Congress.