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Will an ex-convict stage a political comeback? By MEGHAN BARR, Associated Press Writer Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 9:16 a.m. BOARDMAN, Ohio — A hero of the tea party movement is seated in a corner booth at his favorite diner, his famous toupee sticking out above the wooden slats like a warning. That mop of hair, possibly more famous than the man himself, tells the regulars bent over coffee mugs all they need to know: Jimbo has entered the building. He has arrived, as usual, with an entourage. But ever since he was released from prison last fall, Jim Traficant's...

Former congressman Jim Traficant was released from prison a week or two ago. On Friday September 24th Jim will host the TRIV show, 1100AM-WTAM.

Former Rep. Jim Traficant (D-Ohio) lit into the current leadership in Washington on Wednesday, warning the IRS that he wants to "kick them in the crotch," apologizing to "all the hookers in America" for once comparing members of Congress to prostitutes and telling President Barack Obama to "stimulate this." Traficant was released earlier this month after serving a 7-year stint in federal prison on corruption charges. Appearing on MSNBC’s "Hardball," Traficant said that even though he is out of prison, he still has "Federales swarming around me." Traficant then launched into one of his patented rants, touching on everything from...

I did a search and found articles 3 or more years old.

A look at the dark underbelly of recent history, from the mid-1990s to the early part of this decade: one minute speeches by former Blue Dog Congressman, James Traficant. He took on the IRS. Then he was impeached and sent to jail. Felon or Fighter for Freedom? A little of both. And he knew how to make a darn good speech. There are many, many more speeches by former, impeached Congressman Traficant in the South Boston Phoenix 'vaults', which will be steadilly loaded and shared in the future, God willing, if people show an interest. South Boston Phoenix is loading...

Name that tune When not collectively ganging up on President Bush, Democratic presidential hopefuls individually are coming up with some unusual campaign gimmicks to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Take Sen. Bob Graham of Florida, who is announcing the availability of a signed limited edition die-cast replica of the Craftsman Truck Series No. 50 "Bob Graham for President" Ford F-150 truck driven by racing phenomenon Jon Wood. One can play with the nifty red and white toy trucks for an $80 campaign contribution. The die cast is signed by Mr. Wood, who drove the F-150 to victory...

Perhaps the pressure of the Traficant trial had taken its toll. Or, perhaps she simply didn't want to be viewed as someone who shows no mercy. Whatever the reason, U.S. District Judge Lesley Brooks Wells blew it in the James R. Sabatine Sr. case. Wells, who was admirably dispassionate throughout the criminal trial of then-U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., was almost apologetic the other day when she sentenced Sabatine. The Canfield businessman has admitted that he engaged in a pattern of racketeering between June 1993 and December 1999 and filed a false tax return for 1994. He understated his...

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) - Former Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. will stay on the Nov. 5 election ballot, even though he has been expelled from the House and is housed in federal prison, elections officials said Wednesday. The Trumbull County Board of Elections said it won't act to remove the expelled congressman from the ballot. Prosecutor Dennis Watkins told the board it didn't have the authority to remove Traficant because the U.S. Constitution grants citizens the right to vote for and elect whomever they choose. The only limits set by the Constitution for House members are that they be at...

Poor Tim Ryan, he just can't seem to shake loose the Traficant monkey that has been on his back since he entered the race for Congress. During the May primary election, Ryan, a Democratic state senator from Niles, was often asked about his relationship with James A. Traficant Jr., the former congressman-turned-federal prisoner. That's because he had worked as a congressional aide to Traficant from the summer of 1995 to 1997 and had talked about him in glowing terms. Indeed, on April 22, in a meeting with Vindicator editors and writers, Ryan had this to say about the man who...

Once an appellate court decides if James A. Traficant Jr. should be released from prison pending appeal, his Columbus lawyer is off the case. Percy Squire said his representation of the ex-congressman is limited to two narrow constitutional issues — jury selection and double jeopardy. Traficant contends that his jury should have been drawn from the 17th Congressional District and that his expulsion from the U.S. House of Representatives on July 24 was punishment enough. Squire's motion for Traficant's release on bond and a notice of appeal of the April 11 jury verdict and denial of a new trial are...

NILES — After taking it somewhat easy since his stunning victory in the May primary, Timothy J. Ryan, the Democratic nominee for the 17th Congressional District seat, is shifting his election campaign into high gear. "We're starting to step it up," said Ryan of Niles, who was at Waddell Park in his hometown Monday, hosting a luncheon for seniors to discuss health issues. Until recently, a large majority of the handful of public appearances Ryan made were to pick up union endorsements. But Ryan attended numerous festivals over the weekend, and he and volunteers are going door-to-door in the congressional...

One of Summit County's three U.S. House districts hit the national stage Tuesday as the most powerful appointed leader in the Republican congressional delegation came to the 17th District. The appearance by House Chief Deputy Majority Whip Roy Blunt on behalf of state Rep. Ann Womer Benjamin, R-Aurora, signaled that the race that has long been talked about as a nationally significant one actually is just that.``This is a great opportunity for us to add a seat in our column and add an incredibly successful legislator,'' said Blunt of Missouri.What does it mean to have such a power broker come...

Washington - Former Rep. James Traficant, who spends his days in a Pennsylvania prison instead of on the campaign trail, may well be within his rights to run for Congress in Ohio, a research arm of Congress says. After his conviction on corruption charges, Traficant was expelled from the U.S. House last month. But he has filed petitions to be on the Nov. 5 ballot as an independent in the newly drawn 17th District, stretching from Akron to Youngstown, and his candidacy has raised questions about whether he can legally run. The Congressional Research Service, a branch of the Library...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal judges usually police one another's behavior, but they rarely mete out punishment. Of 766 ethical complaints lodged last year, only one resulted in a penalty. Federal judges have lifetime appointments, and only Congress can remove them from office. Other forms of punishment come at the discretion of fellow federal judges. In the single case last year in which the judge was punished, the penalty was a private censure and no details — not even the judge's name — were released. The system encourages lenient treatment, American University law professor Paul Rice said Tuesday. "They have an...

Click HERE to read the Acrobat Reader Document showing the reasons why Judge Lesley Wells recused herself.

YOUNGSTOWN — James A. Traficant Jr.'s lawyer wants the 6th U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati to overrule a trial judge's order that denied the imprisoned ex-congressman bond pending appeal. In a 29-page motion filed with the appellate court, Columbus lawyer Percy Squire argues that Traficant is not a flight risk and poses no danger to the community. Squire said the issues that Traficant has raised — flawed jury selection and double jeopardy — are likely to lead to a new trial "or his discharge without further punishment." Traficant objected to not having jurors from Mahoning, Trumbull or Columbiana counties....

Do you believe Jim Traficant should be permitted to run for Congress from his prison cell? Cast your vote HERE.

YOU'RE TRAVELING THROUGH ANOTHER DIMENSION, A DIMENSION NOT ONLY OF SIGHT AND SOUND BUT OF POLITICS. A JOURNEY INTO A BIZARRE COURTHOUSE WHOSE BOUNDARIES ARE THAT OF THE IMAGINATION. THAT'S THE SIGNPOST UP AHEAD—BEAM ME UP…TO…THE TRAFICANT ZONE. (We see Jim Traficant standing up and screaming in a courtroom.) TRAFICANT: THE PROSECUTOR'S CHIEF WITNESS AGAINST ME, JOHN FACARO, IS A DAMNED LIAR! AND THE HUSBAND OF THE RAILROADING JUDGE HAS BUSINESS DEALINGS WITH THAT LYING WITNESS! WHY IS THE JUDGE EVEN ALLOWED TO SERVE IN THIS TRIAL? IS THIS JUSTICE? BEAM ME UP! (A gavel hammers loudly on the judge's...

James A. Traficant Jr. has left the building. U.S. marshals picked up the feisty former congressman at 8:47 a.m. Monday at the Summit County Jail and headed east to the low-security Allenwood Federal Correctional Institution in White Deer Township, Pa.He arrived at his new home at 2:45 p.m., according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.Traficant was wearing his famous mop top -- discovered to be a toupee during his jail stay -- when he departed. He had to remove it upon arrival at the federal facility, where hairpieces aren't permitted.Traficant had been held in Summit since last week, when he...