The only lawmaker voting against Traficant's expulsion was Rep. Gary Condit.
July 24, 2002 7:42 PM   Subscribe

The only lawmaker voting against Traficant's expulsion was Rep. Gary Condit. Representatives voted 420-1 to remove the nine-term Democrat for taking kickbacks from employees, encouraging the destruction of evidence, soliciting bribes and other gifts from businessmen and filing false income tax returns... only the second time a sitting member has been banished since the Civil War.
posted by crunchland (18 comments total)
 
brothers in hair...
posted by machaus at 8:11 PM on July 24, 2002


it's like big brother 3, who's got the power of veto?
posted by Mick at 8:14 PM on July 24, 2002


Oh well. They're both gone, really, even if Condit's still a member. That said, the Traficant hearings were fairly entertaining in small-to-moderate doses. They were fun to turn to in a, "Hey kids! Let's go to the zoo," sort of fashion. Hard to explain. Especially bizarre was a hostile Traficant's calling the stool he was sitting on the most comfortable he'd ever sat on, as frowning committee members closed shop for the day. He put an emphasis on "stool," almost growling the word.

The spell checker suggested "conduit" and "radiant" as alternatives to the main actors here, by the way.
posted by raysmj at 8:19 PM on July 24, 2002


I really like Traficant. Even if he is connected to the mob, he still has more scruples than a lot of Congress.
posted by insomnyuk at 9:20 PM on July 24, 2002




My favorite part of all this is Traficant's bizarre reaction:

"I will take with me a file, a chisel, a knife, I will try and get some major explosives, try to fight my way out," Traficant said of the possibility of his incarceration.

"And then when I get out I will grab a sword like Maximus Meridius Demidius and as a Gladiator I will stab people in the crotch."

posted by nath at 10:28 PM on July 24, 2002


Lots of funny quotes in these stories. This guy is beyond nutty.
posted by bargle at 12:29 AM on July 25, 2002


Certainly the most entertaining Congressman since Sonny Bono was murdered by the Feds.
posted by Mack Twain at 12:38 AM on July 25, 2002


No more Daily Traficant. (It was never that daily, that I know. But it almost could have been.)

tweebiscuit: I imagine the leadership knew if they didn't shut the site down, he'd use it as a bully pulpit. One can only imagine ...

The Ethics Panel Report. And though he's been expelled, that doesn't prevent the good people of Ohio from electing him again; he had already vowed to run in the fall as an independent.
posted by dhartung at 1:09 AM on July 25, 2002


Traficant is nuttier than a squirrel turd. I wish him luck on his re-election bid. The press coverage should be entertaining.
posted by willconsult4food at 4:44 AM on July 25, 2002


To be honest, I haven't been following this story too closely...but Traficant sounds strangely familiar to one of our favorite eloquent boxing stars:

James Trafficant - "I will grab a sword like Maximus Meridius Demidius and as a Gladiator I will stab people in the crotch."

Mike Tyson - "I will eat your children."
posted by tpl1212 at 5:09 AM on July 25, 2002


One DINO hand washes another. Can't say I'm sorry to see either go. DeLay may miss their consistent voting record.
posted by nofundy at 5:25 AM on July 25, 2002


He immediately gained some sympathy from me for the sword and crotch statement.
posted by adampsyche at 5:38 AM on July 25, 2002


heh

what a nutbag
posted by delmoi at 6:09 AM on July 25, 2002


I find it funny that he was expelled for accepting bribes... They should do that for every member of congress!
posted by statusquo at 6:54 AM on July 25, 2002


They're not going to expel themselves, that's for sure. I think it would be hilarious if he got re-elected, just as a snub from the people of his district to the rest of Congress.
posted by insomnyuk at 6:59 AM on July 25, 2002


I watched the whole thing go down on C-SPAN last night, and I have to say that it was one of the most exciting things ever to grace my television set. I was impressed by Traficant's strange desire to simultaneously defend himself and keep his seat yet also prod and poke and push his fellow congresspersons into kicking him out.

Actually, the only thing that can account for it, I think, is that he is actually innocent of the charges against him. He has so much disdain for those who have accused him (and gotten him convicted on 10 counts) that he rails against them in an effort to prove his innocence. Still, he knows he's doomed by an unfair system that would never give him a chance.

Either that, or he is actually insane. In any case it was a lot of fun to listen to his self-righteous rantings.
posted by Hammerikaner at 7:38 AM on July 25, 2002


There were also 9 "present" votes. Anyone know the story there?
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:55 AM on July 25, 2002


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