[Movemout]

"Mr. Gephardt's spokesman said Republicans were focusing yesterday on Mrs. McKinney's comments to draw attention away from the conviction Thursday of Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., Ohio Democrat, on several charges, including racketeering, bribery and fraud.

"Part of me thinks that Republican efforts to focus on McKinney are trying to distract people from Republican leadership's apparent defense of a convicted felon serving in Congress," Mr. Smith said. "I haven't heard a word from Republican leadership about Traficant's fitness about serving in office." "

Somebody ought to tell this guy to quit smoking dope during business hours. What an exceedingly strange statement.

[stocksthatgoup]

"Mr. Gephardt's spokesman said Republicans were focusing yesterday on Mrs. McKinney's comments to draw attention away from the conviction Thursday of Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., Ohio Democrat, on several charges, including racketeering, bribery and fraud. "Part of me thinks that Republican efforts to focus on McKinney are trying to distract people from Republican leadership's apparent defense of a convicted felon serving in Congress," Mr. Smith said. "I haven't heard a word from Republican leadership about Traficant's fitness about serving in office." " I thought Traficant was a democrat