Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer
Home / Jim Traficant Deja Vu All Over Again

Jim Traficant Deja Vu All Over Again

Post a Comment

Ohio politician

"Traficant" redirects here. Not to be confused with Trafficante.

James Traficant
James Traficant 105th Congress 1997.jpg
Member of the U.Due south. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 17th district
In office
January three, 1985 – July 24, 2002
Preceded by Lyle Williams
Succeeded by Tim Ryan
Sheriff of Mahoning County, Ohio
In part
1981–1984
Preceded by George D. Tablack
Succeeded by Edward P. Nemeth
Personal details
Born

James Anthony Traficant Jr.


(1941-05-08)May viii, 1941
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Died September 27, 2014(2014-09-27) (aged 73)
Poland, Ohio, U.S.
Political party Democratic (1981–2002)
Independent (2002–2014)
Spouse(s) Patricia "Tish" Choppa Traficant
Alma mater Academy of Pittsburgh (B.Southward., M.Southward.)
Youngstown Land Academy (M.S.)

James Anthony Traficant Jr. (May 8, 1941 – September 27, 2014) was an American politician who served as a Autonomous, and later on independent, member of the U.s. House of Representatives from Ohio. He represented the 17th Congressional District, which centered on his hometown of Youngstown and included parts of three counties in northeast Ohio's Mahoning Valley. He was expelled from the House after being convicted of ten felony counts including taking bribes, filing false revenue enhancement returns, racketeering, and forcing his Congressional staff to perform chores at his farm in Ohio and houseboat in Washington, D.C.[1] He was sentenced to prison and released on September 2, 2009, later serving a seven-year sentence.

Traficant died on September 27, 2014, post-obit a tractor blow at his farm in Greenish Township, Ohio.

Early on life, teaching, and career [edit]

Born into a working-class Catholic family in Youngstown, Ohio, Traficant was the son of Agnes (née Farkas) and James Anthony Traficant Sr.[two] [3] He was of more often than not Italian and Hungarian ancestry.[four] Traficant graduated from Primal Mooney Loftier School in 1959 before receiving a B.S. in education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1963. He played quarterback for Pitt's football team, and his teammates included Mike Ditka.[five] Traficant was drafted in the NFL's twentieth round (276th overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1963, and tried out for the Steelers and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League, just did not play professionally.[6] [vii] He after obtained an M.S. in educational administration from the University of Pittsburgh in 1973 and a second master'due south caste in counseling from Youngstown State Academy in 1976.[8]

At the kickoff of his career, Traficant was the consumer finance manager for the Youngstown Community Action Program. He taught courses on drug and alcohol dependency and recovery at Youngstown State University and Kent State University, likewise every bit lecturing on drug and alcohol abuse for colleges and government agencies exterior Ohio. In add-on, Traficant taught at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.[ix] He was the executive manager of the Mahoning County Drug Programme from 1971 to 1981, and Sheriff of Mahoning Canton from 1981 to 1985. While serving as sheriff, Traficant made national headlines by refusing to execute foreclosure orders on several unemployed homeowners, many of whom had been left out of piece of work. This endeared him to the local population, which was dealing with a failing economy following the closures and relocations of steel making and steel-associated businesses.[x]

In 1983, he was charged with racketeering for accepting bribes. Traficant, who represented himself in the criminal trial, argued that he accepted the bribes only every bit part of his own alleged secret undercover investigation into corruption. Traficant was acquitted of the charges, becoming the only person always to win a Racketeer Influenced and Decadent Organizations Human action (RICO) example while representing himself.[11] [12]

Publicity from the RICO trial increased Traficant's local visibility. He was elected as a Democrat to Congress from Ohio'southward 17th Commune, defeating Lyle Williams, a three-term Republican incumbent. He was reelected eight times without serious opposition.

In 2002, he was convicted of 10 felony counts including blackmail, racketeering, and tax evasion.[1]

U.S. House of Representatives [edit]

While in Congress, Traficant was a supporter of immigration reduction,[13] and a strong opponent of illegal immigration. In the controversy surrounding the defeat of Congressman Bob Dornan (R-CA) past Democrat Loretta Sanchez, Traficant was the merely Democratic member of Congress who advocated a new ballot, due to Dornan's allegations of voting in that race by undocumented immigrants. The allegations went unproven, and a new election was not held.

Traficant's major legislative accomplishment in the House was the adoption of some of his proposals to constrain enforcement activities by the Internal Revenue Service against delinquent taxpayers.

After the Republicans took control of the House in 1995, Traficant tended to vote more ofttimes with the Republicans than with his ain party. On the event of abortion, Traficant voted with the position of the National Correct to Life Committee 95% of the time in the 105th Congress, and 100% of the fourth dimension in the 106th and 107th Congresses. However, he voted against all four articles of impeachment against Bill Clinton. After he voted for Republican Dennis Hastert for Speaker of the House in 2001, the Democrats stripped him of his seniority and refused to give him any commission assignments. Because the Republicans did not assign him to any committees either, Traficant became the first member of the House of Representatives in over a century—outside the superlative leadership—to lack a single committee assignment.[14]

Defense of John Demjanjuk [edit]

Traficant championed the unpopular instance of John Demjanjuk, a Ukrainian-born autoworker from Vii Hills, who had been convicted in State of israel and sentenced to hang for having been the brutal Nazi concentration camp baby-sit Ivan the Terrible.[15] For almost a decade, Traficant (along with Pat Buchanan)[16] insisted that Demjanjuk had been denied a fair trial, and been the victim of mistaken identity; in 1993 the Supreme Court of Israel overturned the conviction, on the ground of doubt. Demjanjuk was later deported to Germany on May 11, 2009, after the Supreme Courtroom of the United States refused to overturn his displacement order. Demjanjuk was tried and convicted by a High german criminal courtroom of existence an accessory to murder, just died earlier the German Appellate Courtroom could hear his case, thereby voiding the conviction.[17]

Defense of Arthur Rudolph [edit]

Post-obit Pat Buchanan'south recommendation to reconsider the denaturalization of former Nazi and NASA scientist Arthur Rudolph, who had been brought to the United States under Performance Paperclip, Traficant spoke to the Friends of Arthur Rudolph, an arrangement based in Huntsville, Alabama.[18] He argued that denaturalization had happened considering of a "powerful Jewish lobby" influencing Congress.[eighteen] He added that information technology was a violation of a The states citizen's civil rights, and he suggested that Rudolph return to the United States nonetheless.[eighteen] Additionally, he "introduced a resolution in Congress [...] calling for an investigation into the OSI's treatment of Rudolph's case."[18] Meanwhile, in 1990, Traficant had planned to meet Rudolph in Niagara Falls, on the Canadian–American border; still, Rudolph was arrested by immigration officials in Toronto, and the meeting never occurred.[eighteen]

Trial and expulsion [edit]

In 2001, Traficant was indicted on federal corruption charges for taking entrada funds for personal use. Again, he opted to represent himself, insisting that the trial was role of a vendetta against him dating dorsum to his 1983 trial. Later a two-month federal trial, on Apr eleven, 2002, he was bedevilled of 10 felony counts including bribery, racketeering, and tax evasion.[1] Per longstanding Business firm convention, House Democrats directed him not to bandage any votes pending an investigation past the United States House Committee on Ethics.

Somewhen, the House Ethics Committee recommended that Traficant be expelled from Congress. On July 24, the House voted to expel him in a 420-1 vote.[nineteen] The sole vote against expulsion was Representative Gary Condit, who at the time was in the midst of a scandal of his ain and had been defeated in his reelection primary.[20] Traficant was the first representative to be expelled since Michael Myers in 1980 as a issue of the Abscam scandal.

After his expulsion, Traficant ran as an contained candidate for another term in the House while incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Allenwood.[21] He received 28,045 votes, or 15 per centum, and became ane of only a handful of individuals in the history of the United states of america to run for a federal function from prison. The election was won by one of his old aides, Tim Ryan.[22]

Prison house and after life [edit]

Incarceration [edit]

Traficant entered the Federal Correctional Institution, Allenwood Low, on Baronial 6, 2002,[23] with the Federal Bureau of Prisons ID # 31213-060.[24] He served his first seventeen months at Allenwood. He said that he was put in solitary solitude shortly after his arrival for incitement to riot later on he told a baby-sit, "People tin't hear y'all. Speak up."[25] During the 7 years of his incarceration, Traficant refused whatsoever visitors, saying that he didn't want anyone to meet him. He was released on September 2, 2009, at age 68, and was subject to three years of probation.[26]

While in prison, Traficant received back up from neo-Nazi David Duke, who urged visitors to his personal website to donate to his personal fund. Duke posted a alphabetic character written by Traficant stating that he was targeted by the United states of america Department of Justice for, among other things, defending John Demjanjuk. Traficant as well claimed, in the letter, that he knew facts almost "Waco, Crimson Ridge, Pan Am Flight 103, Jimmy Hoffa and the John F. Kennedy assassination", which he may divulge in the hereafter. Author Michael Collins Piper, who authored Target: Traficant, The Untold Story [27] initially helped broadcast Traficant'south letter, said that "There'due south stuff I've written about Traficant that'south showing upwardly in places I don't even know. It's like (six) degrees of separation with the Internet now," and denied that Traficant had any direct connections to Duke.[28]

Release [edit]

Traficant was released from prison on September 2, 2009.[24] On September 6, 2009, 1,200 supporters welcomed him abode at a feast with an Elvis impersonator, and a Traficant lookalike competition. "Welcome home Jimbo" was printed on T-shirts. "I call up it's fourth dimension to tell the FBI and the IRS that this is our state and we're tired—tired of the pressure, tired of the political targeting, tired of a powerful cardinal government that is crippling America," he said. He also said he was considering running for his old seat in Congress. Traficant signed a limited, iii-calendar month contract to work every bit a role-time weekend talk radio host for Cleveland news/talk station WTAM in January 2010. His contract permitted him to quit if he chose to run for office.[29]

On November 2, 2009, a column by Traficant in the American Costless Press connected his defence force of the accused concentration campsite baby-sit John Demjanjuk.[30] Michael Collins Piper defended Traficant against his accusers.[27]

2010 congressional campaign [edit]

In September 2010, Traficant was certified to run for the same seat he held before his expulsion, and said that his platform would be to repeal the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.[31] Traficant lost the election to his former adjutant Tim Ryan, to whom he lost an before race in 2002, in which Traficant ran as an contained from his prison cell.[22] Traficant received 30,556 votes, or 16%.

Postal service-prison life [edit]

After his release from prison, he was featured as a guest speaker at a Tea Party protest in Columbiana, Ohio, among other events affiliated with reactionary politics.[32] [33]

Traficant began a grassroots entrada in July 2014, "Project Freedom USA",[34] to, among other things, put people pressure on Congress to become rid of the IRS and "divorce" the Federal Reserve.[35]

Accident and death [edit]

Traficant was injured in an blow at his farm on September 23, 2014. A tractor he was driving into a pole barn flipped over and trapped him underneath. Traficant was taken to Salem Regional Medical Center in Salem, Ohio, then airlifted to St. Elizabeth's Health Center in Youngstown. On the evening of September 24, his wife described him as "sedated and not doing well."[36]

By September 26, via news reports and statements from chaser and family spokesman Heidi Hanni, it was learned that the family was awaiting the doctors' assessment; there was no discussion every bit to whether or not Traficant had suffered a eye assault, only he was all the same unconscious and was being sedated for pain and other reasons. A number of longtime family friends, including Linda Kovachik, a former congressional aide to Traficant, told The Vindicator that it is believed Traficant had a heart attack, causing the tractor accident.[37]

A text bulletin was sent out Fri evening September 26 by Jim Condit Jr., the Constitution Party candidate for Ohio'due south 8th congressional district and a shut friend who had been traveling with Traficant to assist promote Project Freedom U.s.. The text bulletin stated that "the machines were asunder at 2:00 p.m. (Friday). He is nevertheless breathing. Thousands are praying." On September 27, 2014, Traficant died at a hospice in Poland, Ohio, aged 73.[38] [39] By September 29, Traficant's body had been buried in an undisclosed location after the family had a individual funeral, and announced that there would exist no public funeral for him.[xl] FindAGrave website reports that Traficant was cremated.[41]

A subsequent medical investigation determined that Traficant had not had a heart attack or seizure before the accident, and was not nether the influence of drugs or alcohol. In improver, he had not sustained any crushing injuries in the accident. The forensic pathologist who conducted the examination attributed Traficant's death to positional asphyxiation, stating that he had been unable to breathe considering of the weight of the tractor on top of him.[42]

Publications [edit]

  • Piper, Michael Collins (2005). Target: Traficant, The Untold Story. American Costless Press. ISBN978-0981808611.
  • Traficant, James (2011). America'southward Final Minuteman. New York: Sports Agenda International. ISBN978-one-889036-01-4.

See also [edit]

  • List of United States representatives from Ohio
  • Listing of United States representatives expelled, censured, or reprimanded
  • Listing of American federal politicians bedevilled of crimes
  • Listing of federal political scandals in the U.s.a.

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Traficant guilty of blackmail, racketeering". CNN. Apr 12, 2002. Archived from the original on October 10, 2002.
  2. ^ Jerome, Richard. "To the Bitter End – Crime & Courts". People . Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  3. ^ Mass, Parties Fete Traficants on Anniversary, Youngstown Vindicator, June 15, 1977
  4. ^ Frank, Dana (2000). Buy American: The Untold Story of Economic Nationalism – Dana Frank – Google Books. ISBN9780807047118 . Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  5. ^ Simonich, Milan (April 12, 2002). "Rep. James Traficant: 'He's perceived ... to have almost magical powers'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA.
  6. ^ Snell, Jack (June twenty, 1963). "Steelers Sign all but Four Draft Choices: Pitt's Traficant Still Undecided". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  7. ^ "Steelers Cut Jim Traficant" (UPI). Beaver Canton Times. July 27, 1963.
  8. ^ U.S. Government Printing Function, 1993–1994 Official Congressional Directory, 1993, page 238
  9. ^ U.S. Government Printing Office, Congressional Directory, 1999, page 213
  10. ^ Peyko, Mark C (February 28, 2002). "Notes From Youngstown: The Angry Voice of a City Left Behind". The New York Times . Retrieved March 24, 2008.
  11. ^ Scott A. Frisch, Sean Q. Kelly, Committee Assignment Politics in the U.South. House of Representatives, 2006, page 170
  12. ^ Congressional Quarterly, Traficant Responds Defiantly to Corruption Indictment, Volume 59, 2001, page 989
  13. ^ "All Immigration Votes of Representative James Traficant." NumbersUSA. Accessed Jan six, 2008.
  14. ^ Rizzo, Katherine (May 8, 2001). "Armey: GOP doesn't desire Traficant". Lubbockonline.com. Associated Press. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  15. ^ "Traficant says he would testify for Demjanjuk". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Oct 30, 2009. Archived from the original on April 15, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  16. ^ Buchanan, Pat (2011-05-13) Demjanjuk Bedevilled – By the KGB, The American Conservative
  17. ^ Aderet, Ofer (March 23, 2012). "News commodity: Convicted Nazi criminal Demjanjuk deemed innocent in Federal republic of germany over technicality". Haaretz.com. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  18. ^ a b c d due east Laney, Monique (2015). German Rocketeers in the Centre of Dixie: Making Sense of the Nazi By During the Ceremonious Rights Era. New Oasis and London: Yale Academy Press. pp. 173–174. ISBN978-0-300-19803-iv.
  19. ^ "In the Matter of Representative James A. Traficant Jr" (REPORT OF THE Committee ON STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL Comport). U.S. Firm of Representatives. July 24, 2002.
  20. ^ Trandahl, Jeff (July 24, 2002). "Terminal Vote Results for Roll Phone call 346". clerk.house.gov. Clerk of the U.s. House of Representatives. Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  21. ^ "Traficant arrives at federal prison". CNN. August 6, 2002. Archived from the original on Oct 10, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  22. ^ a b Christian, Nichole M.; Cushman Jr, John H.; Day, Sherri; Dillon, Sam; Lewis, Neil A.; Pear, Robert; Pristin, Terry; Shenon, Philip; Steinberg, Jacques (Nov vii, 2002). "The 2002 Elections: Midwest; Ohio". The New York Times . Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  23. ^ "Traficant arrives at federal prison". CNN. Baronial six, 2002. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  24. ^ a b "JAMES A TRAFICANT JR." Federal Agency of Prisons. Retrieved on May 29, 2010.
  25. ^ Van Susteren, Greta (September 10, 2009). "Exclusive: Traficant – 'I Was a Target. ... I Must Have Been Doing Something Right'". Fox News. Retrieved Nov 13, 2009.
  26. ^ Merchant, Norman (September 2, 2009). "Ex-congressman Traficant freed". Canton Rep. Associated Press. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
  27. ^ a b Piper, Michael (2005). Target: Traficant: the outrageous inside story of how the Justice Section, the Israeli lobby and the American mass media conspired to set up and have downwards Congressman Jim Traficant. Washington, D.C.: American Costless Press. ISBN0981808611. ISBN 978-0981808611
  28. ^ Rodgers, Nib (August xxx, 2009). "White nationalists, conspiracy theorists join Traficant's cause". Tribune Chronicle. Archived from the original on September one, 2009. Retrieved January fifteen, 2017.
  29. ^ "Traficant lands a office-time job on radio". The Vindicator. Youngstown, Ohio. Jan 5, 2010. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  30. ^ "Erstwhile Congressman Traficant to Contribute Column to Anti-Semitic Newspaper". Anti-Defamation League. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on February 12, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  31. ^ "Traficant files petitions to be candidate for Akron congressional district". Akron Beacon Journal. May 3, 2010. Archived from the original on June fifteen, 2011.
  32. ^ O'Brian, Dan (September 1, 2009). "Traficant Draws Cheers at TEA Political party". The Business organisation Journal.
  33. ^ Barr, Andy (December thirty, 2009). "Traficant: 'I'thousand going to run'". Politico.
  34. ^ "Project Freedom USA". Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  35. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Traficant launches Projection Freedom". YouTube . Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  36. ^ Eaton, Sabina (September 24, 2014). "Ex. Rep. Jim Traficant is seriously injured in tractor accident". Cleveland Plain Dealer . Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  37. ^ Skolnick, David (September 27, 2014). "Youngstown News, Erstwhile congressman no longer on respirator, yet unconscious". The Vindicator.
  38. ^ "James Traficant obituary: Colorful, expelled and jailed ex-congressman dies". Los Angeles Times. September 27, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  39. ^ "James A. Traficant Jr. expressionless at age 73". WFMJ-TV. September 27, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  40. ^ No public funeral for Jim Traficant WFMJ-Television receiver (09/29/2014)
  41. ^ "Jim Traficant (1941-2014) - Observe a Grave Memorial". Notice a Grave.
  42. ^ "Former Rep. Traficant didn't have middle attack, seizure before tractor death, pathologist says" (Associated Printing). The Plainly Dealer. September xxx, 2014.

External links [edit]

  • Wikisource logo Works written by or nigh James Traficant at Wikisource
  • Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
  • Appearances on C-Bridge
  • "Await at what Traficant swept under the rug" – CNN, August ane, 2002
  • Traficant quarterbacking Pitt over Navy
  • Official Website past Nicky Nelson & Jim Condit Jr., Project Freedom U.s.
  • James Traficant - A Tribute (Video) past Mike Wayne
Borough offices
Preceded by

George D. Tablack

 Sheriff of Mahoning Canton, Ohio
1981 – 1985 		Succeeded by

Edward P. Nemeth
U.Southward. House of Representatives
Preceded by

Lyle Williams

 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio'southward 17th congressional district
January iii, 1985 – July 24, 2002 		Succeeded past

Tim Ryan

addingtonthental.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Traficant

You may like these posts

Post a Comment for "Jim Traficant Deja Vu All Over Again"