Traficant Backers Probe Presidential Bid (joke of the century alert)

Yahoo! News ^ | August 1, 2003 | MALIA RULON

[El Conservador]

WASHINGTON - James A. Traficant, a former Ohio congressman in prison for bribery and racketeering charges, has given his approval to supporters to form a presidential exploratory committee.

"The battle to free James Traficant and to evict the Socialists and 'free traders' from the Democratic Party is now under way," campaign spokesman Marcus Belk said. "Someone buy the Washington establishment a bottle of Maalox."

Belk said the group, which announced Friday that it had gotten Traficant's approval by letter, has raised $10,224 in cash pledges made on Traficant's campaign Web site. The average contribution was $71, he said.

Once a campaign committee raises or spends more than $5,000, it is required to file a statement of organization with the Federal Election Commission (news - web sites). Belk said the campaign had mailed that form to the FEC Friday; it had not yet been received by the commission. Traficant's group filed a signed "Statement of Candidacy" form with the FEC last week.

Belk said the campaign hopes to meet its goal of raising $100,000 to qualify for federal matching funds by Oct. 1, which is when he expects Traficant to formally announce his presidential candidacy.

Traficant, a Democrat who represented northeast Ohio in the House for nine terms, was expelled from Congress in July 2002 after being convicted in a federal court of racketeering, bribery and tax evasion. He is now serving an eight-year prison sentence at the minimum-security Allenwood federal prison in White Deer, Pa.

The former lawmaker couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

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On the Net:

http://www.traficant2004.com

[El Conservador]

You must be kidding, right???

[Teacher317]

I've got $71 to keep this comedy relief alive!

The amazing thing is that he would still get 40% of the vote if he won the Dem primary.

[Those_Crazy_Liberals]

With Kusinich already in, and Springer running for Senate, how much more embarassed can Ohioians get?

[Poohbah]

"YGBSM" Ping :o)

[Paleo Conservative]

That way he could get a presidential pardon.

[ChewedGum]

Who would back Trafficant? (of course he did get elected several times...sheesh...we do have diversity here)

Gum

[Cyber Liberty]

Hey, younz ever heard of this?

[You Dirty Rats]

um ... Mary Rose Oakar enters the race?

[Cobra64]

Guess they'll have to move him and put steel bars around the Oval Office.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Compared to the other 9 Dems running for Prez, I'd say Traficant has a shot. ( He's not going to win, of course. I rate his changes better than Buchanan's. )

[alloysteel]

Well, beam me up, Scottie.

Since Scottie apparently is not responding, and getting Jim out of prison by teleporter, perhaps getting elected to the Presidency and pardoning himself will work.

Being inside closed spaces does strange things to some people's minds.

Criminal behavior is not necessarily a disqualification for elective office, in the minds of some Democrat politicians. They run not on their stainless record, but their prison record. In fact, the more stains, the better, as this makes them more lovable in the eyes of their supporters.

[Poohbah]

Buchanan ought to barge his way into the Democrats and do to them what he did to Reform.

[DeFault User]

And accepting the nomination of the Wig Party, the most pathetic rug in the US:

[alloysteel]

Is that road kill on Jim's head?

[CanisMajor2002]

"The battle to free James Traficant and to evict the Socialists ... from the Democratic Party is now under way,"

If they do that the party will be smaller than the Libertarians.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Buchanan ought to barge his way into the Democrats and do to them what he did to Reform.

Oh, wouldn't that be a hoot! If he did that, I'd say the man would actually have done something useful for a change!

[Poohbah]

Buchanan/LaRouche 2004!

The Marxist-Buchananist-LaRouchian economic theory: "State control of the means of beating Jews and immigrants."

[PeaceBeWithYou]

[Chancellor Palpatine]

F*** Mumia, free Trafficant!

[NeoCaveman]

F*** Mumia, free Trafficant!

No Traficant, no peace!