Jim Traficant: 'I'm going to run' for Congress in 2010

[bobbyw24]

Former Rep. Jim Traficant (D-Ohio) says he is “going to run” for Congress once again in 2010.

The colorful former congressman from Youngstown was released from federal prison in September after serving a 7-year stint on corruption charges.

Traficant made the announcement in front of roughly 30 members of the Youngstown Biz Society during a speech to the group in a local restaurant, according to the Business Journal Daily.

The former congressman did not say whether he would run for his old seat — currently occupied by Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, a former aide to Traficant — saying only, “I’m going to run for Congress somewhere.”

Traficant also said he has committed to speaking at a February event in Washington sponsored by the American Free Press, though he is not sure if the terms of his parole will allow him to travel.

The invitation, Traficant said, is part of an effort to encourage him to run for president.

“There’s a group out of Washington, and in several cities around the country, that want to bring back the old Reform Party, combine it with the tea party and bring the Libertarians in and everybody, and they want me to run as an independent for president,” Traficant said.

“I told them I think you’re all getting high smoking dope. And you know what they told me? They said, ‘to the contrary, you have a base following in all 48 contiguous states,’” he said. “So I’m going to address a group down there Feb. 13, unless the government says I can’t travel. And if they do that, we’ll hold it in Cleveland.”

NOTE: while in prison in 2002, Traficant ran for Congress and got 15% of the vote

http://tinyurl.com/yf4rbgw

[bobbyw24]

2nd Video down

http://www.business-journal.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=224&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=&wpage=&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1711&hn=business-journal&he=.com

[BuddyRey]

Sweet!

http://digg.com/politics/Jim_Traficant_I_m_going_to_run

[ctiger2]

I'd vote for him.

[lester1/2jr]

+1

[catdd]

Run Jim Run!

[Agorism]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.

[BuddyRey]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.

You still put any value in what is essentially a meaningless label?

Break out of those mental chains, man!

[coyote_sprit]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.

Go back to "Free Republic", where people like you are welcome.

[Flash]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.

Hes probably going to run as an independent.

[Anti Federalist]

Hes probably going to run as an independent.

That's what he said.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=224818

[ctiger2]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.

TPTB love people who think inside the box like this.

[Chase]

I'd vote for Traficant.

[sluggo]

I'll be sending Jim as much cash as I can afford.

He's got guts and integrity.

I might not agree with him on everything, but I damn sure respect him.

[RM918]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.

If you can only see in red and blue, you may as well be blind.

[Chaohinon]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.The disparity between this post and your screenname really confuses me

[Liberty Star]

I fear he might win actually.

[BuddyRey]

Bumpsky!

[SevenEyedJeff]

Traficant is a Democrat.

I never vote for Democrats regardless of who it is.

I remember Eleanor Clift complaining on the McLaughlin group many years ago about how that one democrat always sides with the Republicans. I also remember one time when someone asked Traficant on CSpan why he didn't switch parties, and he said "we're all Americans aren't we?" And that was that. Party labels don't matter. It's about the individual's stance on liberty and the Constitution that matters.

[bobbyw24]

Traficant: "I'm Going to Run for Congress Somewhere"

By Greg Giroux | December 30, 2009 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sure looks like Jim Traficant, the colorful former congressman who recently finished a seven-year prison sentence, is going to run for Congress in 2010.

"I'm going to run," Traficant said Tuesday night at a gathering in Youngstown, Ohio, according to a story in The Business Journal newspaper in northeastern Ohio.

It's not clear which congressional district Traficant will seek to represent. Traficant said earlier this month that he would circulate nominating petitions in three congressional districts that he declined to identify. They are believed to be the southern and eastern 6th district of Rep. Charlie Wilson (D), the Canton-area 16th district of Rep. John Boccieri (D) and the Youngstown-area 17th district of Rep. Tim Ryan (D).

"I'm going to run for Congress somewhere," Traficant said, according to the story.

Traficant served as a Democrat for his entire House tenure (1985-2002), though he was bounced from the Democratic caucus in early 2001, at the beginning of what would be his final term, after he voted to re-elect J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill) as House Speaker. Traficant in 2001 and 2002 voted frequently with Republicans, and recently he's blasted the progressive income tax and aligned himself with anti-tax "tea party" activists.

The House expelled Traficant in July 2002, three months after a federal court in Cleveland convicted him of 10 counts of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion. He ran for re-election that November as an independent, winning 15 percent of the vote and placing third in a race won by Ryan. Traficant was released from prison in September.

To follow the 2010 House races, check out our election map.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/eyeon2010/2009/12/traficant-im-going-to-run-for.html

[Travlyr]

Traficant: "I'm Going to Run for Congress Somewhere"

The House expelled Traficant in July 2002, three months after a federal court in Cleveland convicted him of 10 counts of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion. He ran for re-election that November as an independent, winning 15 percent of the vote and placing third in a race won by Ryan. Traficant was released from prison in September.


Okay... I guess I need more information. I don't much care about the tax evasion charge, but the bribery and racketeering charges are sort of problematic for me.

[bobbyw24]

Ohio Rep. Traficant Indicted
Traficant Faces Bribery, Conspiracy Charges

W A S H I N G T O N, May 4

Ohio Rep. James Traficant, one of the most flamboyant figures in Congress, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a variety of charges, including bribery, conspiracy and income tax evasion.

The Democrat, long a target of suspicion by a grand jury looking into mob activity in Youngstown, Ohio, had been expecting the indictment for some time.

Under the 10-count indictment, Traficant faces charges of conspiracy to violate bribery statutes, filing false income tax returns, and others for obstruction of justice, conspiracy to defraud the United States and racketeering.

In Youngstown, Traficant said this morning he had heard government investigators were pressing potential witnesses to tell them what they wanted to hear, regardless of the truth.

"They felt they were not only intimidated, that the U.S. attorneys tried to put words in their mouth," Traficant said.

Several of the bribery charges allege Traficant accepted free work on a farm and boat that he owned in exchange for intervening with federal and state authorities on behalf of contractors. Other counts charge the congressman had paid congressional staff working on his boat and doing chores on the farm during business hours.

The federal probe into organized crime and corruption in Traficant's district has led to nearly 80 convictions. Even the man who ran Traficant's district office is an admitted bag man for the Youngstown mafia in a city that has been overrun by crime since the 1950s.

Ironically, it was Traficant's 1983 acquittal on bribery charges that helped catapult him into Congress. Though he's no lawyer, Traficant represented himself and beat Justice Department charges that he took $163,000 in mob cash. Traficant, at the time a sherriff, convinced a jury that he was merely taking the cash as part of a sting operation he had set up.

But the acquittal made Traficant a folk hero, and he has been re-elected to Congress nine times. He is best known for his unusual haircut and outrageous floor speeches that he signs off with a trademark, "Beam me up, Mr. Speaker!"

In keeping with his reputation as a fighter, Traficant announced on the floor of the House last year that he has launched his own investigation of the FBI and Justice Department, accusing the agencies of being "on the payroll of the Mob." In March 2000, Traficant vowed to fight the anticipated indictment, just as he had in 1983.

"Enough is enough. I'm announcing formally today that I am once again a target of the Justice Department," he said. "I plan to fight like a junkyard dog, and if I die in that courtroom, bring it on."

Few of his fellow Democrats are likely to come to Traficant's defense. He outraged his caucus earlier this year by casting his vote for speaker of the House to Republican Rep. Dennis Hastert of Illinois. Since then, both Republicans and Democrats have refused to give him committee assignments.

[YumYum]

I'll be sending Jim as much cash as I can afford.

He's got guts and integrity.

I might not agree with him on everything, but I damn sure respect him.

I agree. He ranks up there with the Founding Fathers. He was sent to prison for promoting freedom. This man is a survivor and a fighter.

[Rancher]

Ohio Rep. Traficant Indicted
Traficant Faces Bribery, Conspiracy Charges

W A S H I N G T O N, May 4

Ohio Rep. James Traficant, one of the most flamboyant figures in Congress, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a variety of charges, including bribery, conspiracy and income tax evasion.

The Democrat, long a target of suspicion by a grand jury looking into mob activity in Youngstown, Ohio, had been expecting the indictment for some time.

Under the 10-count indictment, Traficant faces charges of conspiracy to violate bribery statutes, filing false income tax returns, and others for obstruction of justice, conspiracy to defraud the United States and racketeering.

In Youngstown, Traficant said this morning he had heard government investigators were pressing potential witnesses to tell them what they wanted to hear, regardless of the truth.

"They felt they were not only intimidated, that the U.S. attorneys tried to put words in their mouth," Traficant said.

Several of the bribery charges allege Traficant accepted free work on a farm and boat that he owned in exchange for intervening with federal and state authorities on behalf of contractors. Other counts charge the congressman had paid congressional staff working on his boat and doing chores on the farm during business hours.

The federal probe into organized crime and corruption in Traficant's district has led to nearly 80 convictions. Even the man who ran Traficant's district office is an admitted bag man for the Youngstown mafia in a city that has been overrun by crime since the 1950s.

Ironically, it was Traficant's 1983 acquittal on bribery charges that helped catapult him into Congress. Though he's no lawyer, Traficant represented himself and beat Justice Department charges that he took $163,000 in mob cash. Traficant, at the time a sherriff, convinced a jury that he was merely taking the cash as part of a sting operation he had set up.

But the acquittal made Traficant a folk hero, and he has been re-elected to Congress nine times. He is best known for his unusual haircut and outrageous floor speeches that he signs off with a trademark, "Beam me up, Mr. Speaker!"

In keeping with his reputation as a fighter, Traficant announced on the floor of the House last year that he has launched his own investigation of the FBI and Justice Department, accusing the agencies of being "on the payroll of the Mob." In March 2000, Traficant vowed to fight the anticipated indictment, just as he had in 1983.

"Enough is enough. I'm announcing formally today that I am once again a target of the Justice Department," he said. "I plan to fight like a junkyard dog, and if I die in that courtroom, bring it on."

Few of his fellow Democrats are likely to come to Traficant's defense. He outraged his caucus earlier this year by casting his vote for speaker of the House to Republican Rep. Dennis Hastert of Illinois. Since then, both Republicans and Democrats have refused to give him committee assignments.

I'll have to do some of my own research on this James Traficant guy ... It seems like none of us are exempt from the tyranny of government... and that they just went on a witch hunt.

[TCE]

I agree. He ranks up there with the Founding Fathers. He was sent to prison for promoting freedom. This man is a survivor and a fighter.

He voted for the PATRIOT Act, that's not exactly a good thing in my book.

[YumYum]

I need to start a blog "Jews For Traficant!" Are there any Jews on this forum that are with me on this?

[American Nationalist]

Traficant has my support. The fact he was railroaded and deemed a felon by the crooks in Washington means he was on to them. He should take his imprisonment as a badge of honor. he fought a corrupt system. Whether it be the IRS or the Justice Department in the case of John Demjanjuk

[stu2002]

http://www.americanfreepress.net/1_2_AFP_2010_Traficant_Wrap.pdf