Jim Traficant running for Congress after 7 year prison stint for corruption
Youngstown, Ohio, once a steel industry giant and mafia gateway between east and west, produces some interesting people.
If you watched the Arizona vs. Nebraska game last night, you may know that the coaches of both teams are proud products of Youngstown’s Cardinal Mooney High School. The show biz ranks have long been filled with Youngstown people beginning with the Warner Brothers themselves all the way to Ed O’Neill, Al Bundy himself and current star of “Modern Family”. The town has given the world boxing champions like Ray ‘Boom-Boom’ Mancini and Kelly Pavlik.
The list goes on and is surprising long.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should say that I, too, am a product of Youngstown, Ohio and glad of it.
But then there are those of whom the city is less proud – or certainly should be. While those familiar with northeastern Ohio history (I know…that’s funny) can tell you, Youngstown had an active and important branch of La Cosa Nostra which brought the town to the nation’s attention more than once.
Certainly, one of the greatest members of Youngstown’s Hall of Shame would have to be ex-Congressman Jim Traficant, the wing-nut legislator with the bad rug on top of his head and a penchant for eccentricities, who recently completed a seven year jail sentence resulting from convictions on multiple corruption charges stemming from his many years in Congress.
And a long run it was.
Traficant served the district from 1985 thorough part of the 2002 before being expelled by his colleagues by a vote of 420-1.
Being banished from Congress and tossed in jail did not stop Jim Traficant. He is one of a handful of people in American history who have run for Congress from the comfort of their jail cell. In Jimbo’s case, he lost to his former aide, Tim Ryan.
One would think that this would be the end of Jim Traficant story. But you don’t know Youngstown, Ohio.
Last night, as his fellow Mooney High alums were entertaining us in the Pacific Bowl, Traficant stood in front of a business networking group in downtown Youngstown and announced that he would run for Congress in 2010…somewhere. Youngstown’s Business Journal Daily is reporting that Traficant hasn’t decided whether to challenge his old aide for the return of his Congressional seat or if he’ll go after someone else.
I know what you’re thinking. This is insane. Nobody could possibly take this whack job seriously, right?
Don’t be so sure.
People from northeastern Ohio are very loyal and have strong points of view. They also have a high tolerance for bad behavior if they believe their representative is looking out for their interests. And while long a stronghold of the Democratic Party, northeastern Ohioans feel no particular necessity to stay on script from issue to issue. While you would be extremely hard pressed to work out the last time a Republican was elected to Congress in the area, it is the very same area that is credited with putting George Bush over the top in Ohio in his re-election bid. As we all recall, it was Ohio who sent Bush back to the White House. While John Carey may have been the Democratic nominee, he just wasn’t a northeast Ohio kind of guy.
According to the former Congressman, he’s still in demand, telling the Youngstown crowd-
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.
Bizarre as it may seem, Traficant is someone to keep an eye on in the coming year- if for no other reason than it could prove hugely entertaining. Still, come this time next year, ex-con (‘con’ shorthand for both congressman and convict) Jim Traficant may be the poster boy for what promises to be one of the most interesting political years in a very long time.
Should be fun.
Post Your Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment
T/S Members
Log in with your True/Slant account.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by rickungar, rickungar. rickungar said: RT @trueslant – Rick Ungar – The Policy Page – True/Slant http://bit.ly/5gRAmR [...]
Rick, I know you think you are kidding about Trafficant, but just take a look at Citigroup and how they have gotten over their image problems. Well, at least until their most recent financial disaster that is.
Citigroup got in trouble for money laundering in Japan in 2001 and one of their divisions finally got kicked out of Japan in 2004. Citigroup’s CEO at the time, Chuck Prince, went to Japan and “bowed” down in public in a show of contrition in order to help smooth the waters over the situation. If you think I am kidding just take a look at the Tuesday, October 26, 2004 edition of the Financial Times. There are two people in the picture bowing down. That’s Chuck there on the right.
The article says that investigators concluded that there were internal control problems and that a “lack of oversight from the U.S.” led to transgressions that permitted “large profits” to be amassed illegally.
Citigroup recently got caught again for money laundering in Japan and this time they got off with a very light penalty. And yet Citigroup as a company is still hanging in there. So any sort of comeback is possible, though certainly not desirable.
Actually, I’m not kidding at all. I absolutely would not be surprised if Traficant was elected to Congress from his old district next yera.
In response to another comment. See in context »We are always saying Congressmen are crooks. It’s about time we had a professional in the ranks. I’m sure Traficant could teach classes to his colleagues.
BTW, you forgot to mention Eddie deBartolo as a Youngstown alum. As a 9er fan, he’s my favorite from your neck of the woods.
I did forget Eddie – a friend growing up. But there are many, many more that I failed to include. For such a small town, we’ve had a lot of auspicious names!
In response to another comment. See in context »As for sending a professional crook back to Congress, I s think the congressmen could still teach Traficant a few tricks!!!
RE:As for sending a professional crook back to Congress, I s think the congressmen could still teach Traficant a few tricks!!!
Like how to buy votes for a health bill with the peoples’ money?
http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=128479
Thats by far the biggest AM station in Cleveland, look out!