Rep. James Traficant Expelled from Congress

Reuters | 7/24/02

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday expelled Democratic Rep. James Traficant of Ohio, making the former sheriff turned convicted felon the second House member since the Civil War to be tossed out of Congress.

On a vote of 420-1, lawmakers booted the nine-term Traficant for ethics violations stemming from his April conviction on federal charges of bribery, kickbacks and tax evasion.

Traficant, 61, became the second House member since the Civil War and the fifth in history to be expelled, and the first since Democratic Rep. Michael Myers of Pennsylvania was removed after a 1980 bribery conviction.

The expulsion vote came after a passionate floor debate during which Traficant professed innocence but a number of colleagues said he must go.

"We have to do our job," said Rep. Gene Green, a Texas Democrat. "If we can't remove a member of Congress who has been convicted of 10 felony counts ... we risk losing the faith and trust of the American people."

"I want your vote," Traficant said in closing. "My people elected me. I don't think you should take their representative away." But he added, softly. "Vote your conscience."

The only member who voted against expulsion was Rep. Gary Condit, a California Democrat who was defeated in a reelection bid this year after being romantically linked to a missing federal intern.

Traficant is to be sentenced next Tuesday for his felony convictions. He plans to run for re-election in November as an independent.

[Non-Sequitur]

... we risk losing the faith and trust of the American people

I would say that he's a bit late on that.

[Guillermo]

Someone sure is singing a different tune nowadays!!

I guess in your own home, you can sing whichever tune you please! I have no problem with this.

[FrankOwens]

Does it bother anyone that the only person who voted not to expel Traficant is the ONLY member in Congress with nothing to lose. Gary Condit is finished. His political career is over and he has nothing to lose. His family life has been damaged, politically he is ruined and publicly he has been humiliated. Now all this came about by his own wrong doing, so I am not defending him.

Look at it this way. Gary Condit is the only member in congress that no one can hold anything over his head. He is ruined. So after all of the voting is over, only one congressman had the nerve to vote to keep Traficant in Congress.

I know I don't need to remind all of you that Condit was a conservative Democrat. More Republican than some so called Republicans. He had nothing to lose and no point to make. No one is going to expel Condit, because he lost his own primary and will not be returning.

I just put this out there for thought and to get your feelings on the matter. I don't believe in vast conspiracies. Just VERY IRONIC Condit is the only one to vote for Traficant.

[Villiany_Inc]

I would agree with your view on Condit being one of the few able to vote his conscience without political repercussions. Which MAY explain why he was the only one to vote against the expulsion.

Aside from that, did anyone catch what the closing remark on the motion was ? Something about giving them 5 days to review/REVISE their remarks made during the debate ? Seems a little strange to me that they would be able to say what they wanted to at one time(live on TV no less), then review and change it for the record later.

[agrace]

I found that very interesting too, the way the parties were split. I'm not that familiar with his voting record, but could it be that he is enough of a renegade and loudmouth that the dems felt it better for him to just shut up and go away already?

[agrace]

HA! I was watching his speech and heard him say that if he isn't in jail, he'll be in FL in Oct and she's "not going to get elected to anything." It was hysterical. My husband yelled from the kitchen "Did he just say what I think he said?!"

[maestro]

Your# 62)...............The Russians ARE coming?...........Chinese too?...........Even the ___________?

Not in America?

[Republic]

Traficant was a bit of an oddball, to be sure. To speak truth to power and survive as long as he did, you have to be a bit of an oddball. He was railroaded out.

God Speed to Mr. Trafficant. I appreciate everything he did for our nation as he stood on the floor of the house and spoke of chinese money flowing into the filthy hands of the democrats (his own party, no less!) and about the horrors of clinton and janet reno! God BLESS this man for that! And for the way he took care of his constituents.

I know billy and hilly and ol janet and dickie gephardt HATE him and are thrilled he is no longer there, and I know that I will miss this marvelous old screwball, a bunch. I loved that he stood for BOB DORNAN, as well. He certainly knew where to put his heart when he stood on the floor of the house!

And yeah...the klintons got even. They always do.

[B4Ranch]

If this idea of a NWO gets going strong I wouldn't be surprised what happens. All these damn politicians that "care about America" are the cause for just about every deficency we have.

[B4Ranch]

Jack, I sure wish i could agree with you, but I don't.

[B4Ranch]

Your statement is a true one that Republicans have decided to ignore. Why, why, why???

[Nowhere Man]

I personally think that because Traficant mentioned a lot of real issues (NAFTA, corruption in the Clinton Adminstration, and so on) and tried to bring them to light, "The Man" had to do something to shut him up and we saw an illustration of that yesterday. Just like many other historical figures such as Sparticus, Socrates, Jesus Christ, Copernicus, Galileo, Preston Tucker, and so on, when you get "The Man" riled up, he can put the "take-down" on you so fast. Sure if a bunch of average joes like many of us here do the same thing, we are labeled as wackoes, but if you are somebody like a Jim Traficant or above, they really sick the dogs on you. I know many of the Democrats didn't like him so I knew they would vote to toss him out, but what really floors me is most of the Republicans, spineless as usually, voted against him too. Sure, he could have used a hair-style, but we have to get beyond things like that and listen to the message.

[IronJack]

Moral equivalency defense. Didn't buy it from Clinton, ain't buyin' it from Jungle Jim.

[cubreporter]

You got that right!

[NEPA]

I know I don't need to remind all of you that Condit was a conservative Democrat.

Actually Condit is only conservative by Dem standards. Without looking it up, his ACU is something like 43. The so called "moderate" Senators Snow and Collins are in the 50's I believe. In the House (again without doing research) I would guess he compares to somebody like a NY or New England repub.

That being said I get your point about Condit having nothing to lose.

[altair]

Indeed, I missed that one.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Does anyone really believe that any other Democrat representative is purer, more honest and with less sin than Traficant? (The same goes for the Republicans

You can't really believe this. Trafficant is a Congress critter who votes with the majority, whoever is in power. When the Dems were in power, he had a 34 percent voting record on conservative issues. When the GOP was in power and he wanted to curry favor with them, he doubled his score. "Pure" is right! He is full of pure BS!

Representative James Traficant (D)
17th Congressional District, Ohio
Democrat, Years of Service: 17

ACU Ratings for Representative Traficant:
Year 2001	76
Year 2000	60
Lifetime	34

[rightofrush]

...but what really floors me is most of the Republicans, spineless as usually, voted against him too.

You have become aware that the GOP establishemnt is not as advertised. Grasshopper, you have reached the first level of enlightenment.