U.S. Representative James Traficant

April 11, 2002 9:39 PM

U.S. Representative James Traficant (D-Ohio) has been found guilty on all 10 charges he faced, including kickbacks, fraud, bribery, and racketeering. The Congressman, known for his hatred of the IRS(God bless him) and his love of pork barrel projects, has lit up the Congress with his bombastic behavior since he was elected in 1984. Controversy has never been far from Traficant, he still claims that the trial is due to the bizarre, humorous, and grotesque story of his mob-funded election to Sheriff of Youngstown. He claims that he will run as an independent in the newly formed 17th District in the next congressional election. Will he be out of jail? Does he have a chance? What is Congress going to do with him? Fascinating background information courtesy of investigative journalist Dan Moldea's website
posted by insomnyuk (11 comments total)

heh, I got to hear about the jamoke's antics the whole time I was growing up...he's quite a character.
posted by dorian at 9:46 PM on April 11, 2002

withholding comment on Congressman Pompadour, I'd just like to give right coast props to Youngstown Ohio, one of the strangest and most fucked up towns in America
posted by ssdecontrol at 9:48 PM on April 11, 2002

Three words:

Wheel
Of
Pain.
posted by Ty Webb at 9:51 PM on April 11, 2002

yeah parts of the downtown were mostly a crackland for as long as I can remember, with the exception of the library, the Butler, and YSU.

gah, people's drinking water comes from that reservoir...!
posted by dorian at 9:53 PM on April 11, 2002

Well, as several pained people discovered during the Condit affair, the Congressional Ethics Committees tend not to act until there is a conviction. Though I believe we may yet find out whether they'll act if there's an indictment for murder (grand jury still out) -- that one doesn't come up very often. Also, whenever possible, they prefer for reasons both of communal self-preservation, political distraction, and perhaps also principled dedication to the ballot box (no snickering!), to allow voters a chance to send the jamokes back to civilian life.
posted by dhartung at 10:48 PM on April 11, 2002

Who do you resemble now, rcade?
posted by ttrendel at 11:17 PM on April 11, 2002

I personally vote for the owl off of the 'how many licks?' commercial.
posted by ttrendel at 11:18 PM on April 11, 2002

Youngstown is also the hometown of singer Lady Miss Kier (of Dee-Lite fame), boxer Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, Maureen "'70s Disaster Movie Theme" McGovern and Ed O'Neill of "Married with Children." Peculiar Youngstown celebrities of the future deserve to grow up with better Congressional representation.
posted by raysmj at 11:25 PM on April 11, 2002

Great post Insomnyuk.

I'm continually surprised by the representation that we elect to public office, although, I probably shouldn't be.
posted by bshort at 8:34 AM on April 12, 2002

Good bye Jimmy T thanks for the "Beam Me Up!" memories!
posted by geist at 12:31 PM on April 12, 2002

all I have to say is what's with that guy's hair?
posted by themikeb at 2:19 PM on April 12, 2002