Former Convicted Felon Jim Traficant Secures Enough Signatures To Appear On Ohio Congressional Ballo

[unhappycamper]

An elections board in Ohio says a former congressman and ex-convict Jim Traficant has enough valid signatures to run again for a U.S. House seat.


Former Convicted Felon Jim Traficant Secures Enough Signatures To Appear On Ohio Congressional Ballot
08/30/10 08:55 PM | AP

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — An elections board in Ohio says a former congressman who served time in federal prison has enough valid signatures to run again for a U.S. House seat.

Director Tom McCabe says the Mahoning County board on Monday approved more than 30 disputed signatures to allow Jim Traficant (TRAF'-eh-kehnt) to make the November ballot in northeast Ohio's 17th district.

Traficant represented the Youngstown area as a Democrat for nearly two decades before his 2002 conviction for corruption. He's running as an independent.

Hundreds of signatures from four counties were disqualified in July. The secretary of state ordered a review by the board in Youngstown last week.

Elections officials in neighboring Trumbull County are expected to certify the total Wednesday.



unhappycamper comment: Teabaggers, convicted felons and nutbags are the staple of the Republican party.

[Orrex]

1. How is he a "former" convicted felon? Was he pardoned?

[LiberalFighter]

6. States probably can't make any other requirements except what is in the Constitution.

Which is why I am wondering how states can use petition requirements. Maybe someday that will be challenged.


Here in Indiana convicted felons unless they were pardoned cannot run for any elected office other than federal.

[Orrex]

9. You make a good point, but I was questioning the terminology rather than his eligibility

[LiberalFighter]

10. Ahhh... You mean he is not a former convicted felon unless he was pardoned.

[Orrex]

11. Yes, that's what I meant.

I don't think I worded it as well as I might have! :blush:

[FBaggins]

2. Never a dull momemt with this guy.

He was at least entertaining.

unhappycamper comment: Teabaggers, convicted felons and nutbags are the staple of the Republican party

Trafficant was a Democrat.

[unhappycamper]

4. My bad - I should have said "Teabaggers, convicted felons

and nutbags of all stripes are the staple of the Republican party.

I was not implying the Republicans had a lock on stupid.

[Solly Mack]

3. lolololololol

Why not? If being a war criminal isn't enough to get you ousted from government office or prevent you from securing teaching jobs...or sitting on the bench...why should being a felon in Congress be a problem?

[hobbit709]

5. Mark Twain had it right.

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctively native American criminal class except Congress."

[Solly Mack]

8. I've always appreciated that quote.

[LiberalFighter]

7. Getting beamed up all the time scrambled his brains if they weren't scrambled before.