Posted on 09/25/2009 12:17:33 PM PDT by ResistorSister
SOURCE - WIKI: In the House, Traficant was known for his flamboyant and eccentric style. He was a constant thorn in the side of the Democratic caucus with his eccentric behavior, an image he embraced. He often dressed poorly, with narrow neck ties (then out of style), wide-lapelled sportcoats and an occasional denim suit. He also sported an ugly, unkempt pompadour, which he jokingly claimed he cut with a weed whacker (it was revealed, after his conviction, that he wore a toupee). Casting himself as a rough-hewn populist and "regular guy," he gave speeches that were far outside the staid norms of political speaking. Many people tuned into C-SPAN just to watch his one-minute speeches at the beginning of each day's sitting.[citation needed] His trademark closing lines were "Beam me up... I yield back the fact..." His Website featured a picture of him swinging a two-by-four with the words "Bangin' away in D.C."
After the Republicans took control of the House in 1995, Traficant tended to vote more often with the Republicans than with his own party. On abortion, for instance, Traficant voted the pro-life position of the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) 95% of the time in the 105th Congress, and 100% of the time 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 a committee assignment. Because the Republicans did not assign him to any committee, Traficant became the first member of the House of Representatives in over a century without any committee assignment who was not in a leadership position.
Traficant championed the unpopular cause of John Demjanjuk, a Ukrainian-born autoworker from Seven Hills, who had been convicted in Israel and sentenced to hang for having been the brutal concentration camp guard "Ivan the Terrible." For almost a decade, Traficant was virtually alone (except for columnist Pat Buchanan) in insisting that Demjanjuk had been denied a fair trial and been the victim of mistaken identity; the Supreme Court of Israel eventually overturned the conviction, on the basis of doubt, in 1993. Demjanjuk was later deported to Germany on May 11, 2009, after the Supreme Court refused to overturn his deportation order.
While in Congress, Traficant was a supporter of immigration reduction, and a strong opponent of illegal immigration. In the controversy surrounding the defeat of Congressman Bob Dornan (R-CA) by Democrat Loretta Sanchez, Traficant was the only Democratic member of Congress who advocated a new election, due to possible voting in that race by illegal aliens. Sanchez would later introduce a bill expelling Traficant from the House of Representatives.
"..you know, Pat's relatives suffered back then as well"
"Really?"
"Yeah, on of his Uncles hurt his back fallin' out of a guard tower."
He’s become a raving antisemitic psychopath. He talks like he converted to islam in the joint.
I musta missed that. What did he say?
LOL! Good one!
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