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Felon attends event in Akron as he plans another run for office
By Stephanie Warsmith
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 07:10 p.m. EST, Feb 03, 2010
Former Congressman Jim Traficant has no money.
He doesn't even have a campaign committee.
Nevertheless, Traficant, a convicted felon, told an audience in Akron this week that he will make a bid to return to Congress this year.
''They should surrender!'' Traficant said in his booming voice to about 30 people who attended a fundraiser Tuesday night for Kurt Liston, a local Libertarian candidate, at Tangier restaurant. ''People tell me, 'Watch it — they will put you back in prison.' Maybe so. Quite frankly, Scarlett . . . That's the attitude you've got to have.''
The event marked Traficant's first public appearance in Akron since his release in September after serving seven years in federal prison for convictions on 10 charges, including bribery and racketeering.
Before the fundraiser, Traficant sat down with the Beacon Journal to chat about his time in prison, what he's been doing since he got out and why he wants to return to politics. He did so only after railing about the newspaper not writing anything positive about him in 30 years and threatening that another negative article would result in this reporter contracting a rash in her private parts.
Sitting at Rockne's restaurant, sipping Diet Coke after Diet Coke, Traficant seemed bitter but not defeated. He wore a gray turtleneck, black dress pants and his well-known fuzzy gray toupee, which he declined to talk about.
Traficant insists that he didn't ''break the law — at all'' and was targeted because of being ''a walking symbol of defiance.'' He's hoping a whistle-blower will step forward to prove his claim that the government withheld evidence that would have bolstered his defense.
He touched on his time in prison when his big Greek salad arrived, and he asked the waitress about the dressing. He said lettuce and tomatoes were in short supply in prison, and the dressings often were outdated. He learned to eat salads plain.
''I didn't do country clubs — I did tough time,'' he said. ''You know what — here I am!''
Traficant summarized what he missed most during prison in one word: ''Freedom.''
Life after prison
This son of a truck driver — as he often refers to himself — was greeted after his release by about 1,000 supporters at an event in Youngstown, many wearing T-shirts saying, ''Welcome Home Jimbo.''
Since then, Traficant has hit the airwaves with his own talk radio show on WTAM (1100-AM) in Cleveland, been working on trying to woo a casino to the Mahoning Valley, discussing a possible book/movie/television series and circulating petitions to try to return to the Congress that expelled him.
Traficant is focusing on the 6th and the 17th districts and must chose one by the Feb. 18 filing deadline for the May primary, unless he chooses to run as an independent. Charlie Wilson represents the 6th District, while Tim Ryan has the 17th, Traficant's former district, which has been reconfigured and includes parts of Summit and Portage counties. Wilson and Ryan both are Democrats.
''Any money Akron, Youngstown or Steubenville gets will be because of me,'' Traficant said. ''They do not want me back.''
Traficant, 68, can run for Congress, despite his convictions, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
He isn't sure if he'll run as a Democrat, which he has been all his life, Republican or independent. Disgusted with the two leading parties, he said his main goal is to lead the charge for a viable third party.
''The Democrat and Republican parties have failed,'' he said. ''Both are as worthless as tits on a bullfrog.''
He'll kick off his effort Feb. 13, when he will be the keynote speaker at a town hall meeting in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the American Free Press, a right-wing group that has floated the idea of Traficant running as an independent for president.
Traficant thinks the 16th Amendment allowing the levying of an income tax should be repealed, the Internal Revenue Service abolished, a flat 25 percent sales tax levied on new goods and services, and federal spending significantly curtailed. Without substantial changes, he predicts the nation's debt will reach $25 trillion in 10 years and several states will move to secede.
''Beam me up!'' he said, which is one of his catchphrases.
Sharing his ideas
His views resonated with the crowd at Tangier, which is why Liston sought him out as a speaker.
''He has a lot of similar ideas that we have,'' said Liston, 32, who is running for the 44th Ohio House seat held by Rep. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron. ''He's been saying them a lot longer than I've been an adult.''
During Traficant's remarks at Tangier, he discussed his political plans and the need for a third party and other major changes.
''Stimulate this!'' he said at one point — his newest catchphrase.
He detailed his contributions during his congressional days and a few of his more outrageous moments. This included reciting a limerick related to the Lorena Bobbit incident during one House session and referring to his colleagues as ''a bunch of political prostitutes'' during another. For this remark, he later apologized to prostitutes for associating them with Congress.
Traficant earned applause from the audience several times, joked with people before and after the event, and posed for a few pictures.
David Macko, a Libertarian running for the 17th Ohio House District, thinks Traficant was framed and that he ''speaks the truth.'' He got Traficant to autograph his copy of Target: Traficant, the Untold Story, a book that alleges a conspiracy against Traficant.
John Deagan, who grew up in the village of Poland, where Traficant is from, and now lives in Jackson Township and heads Stark County's Libertarian Party, said he had to hear Traficant speak.
''What a life,'' he said. ''The good. The bad. And the ugly.''
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
Former Congressman Jim Traficant has no money.
He doesn't even have a campaign committee.
Nevertheless, Traficant, a convicted felon, told an audience in Akron this week that he will make a bid to return to Congress this year.
''They should surrender!'' Traficant said in his booming voice to about 30 people who attended a fundraiser Tuesday night for Kurt Liston, a local Libertarian candidate, at Tangier restaurant. ''People tell me, 'Watch it — they will put you back in prison.' Maybe so. Quite frankly, Scarlett . . . That's the attitude you've got to have.''
The event marked Traficant's first public appearance in Akron since his release in September after serving seven years in federal prison for convictions on 10 charges, including bribery and racketeering.
Before the fundraiser, Traficant sat down with the Beacon Journal to chat about his time in prison, what he's been doing since he got out and why he wants to return to politics. He did so only after railing about the newspaper not writing anything positive about him in 30 years and threatening that another negative article would result in this reporter contracting a rash in her private parts.
Sitting at Rockne's restaurant, sipping Diet Coke after Diet Coke, Traficant seemed bitter but not defeated. He wore a gray turtleneck, black dress pants and his well-known fuzzy gray toupee, which he declined to talk about.
Traficant insists that he didn't ''break the law — at all'' and was targeted because of being ''a walking symbol of defiance.'' He's hoping a whistle-blower will step forward to prove his claim that the government withheld evidence that would have bolstered his defense.
He touched on his time in prison when his big Greek salad arrived, and he asked the waitress about the dressing. He said lettuce and tomatoes were in short supply in prison, and the dressings often were outdated. He learned to eat salads plain.
''I didn't do country clubs — I did tough time,'' he said. ''You know what — here I am!''
Traficant summarized what he missed most during prison in one word: ''Freedom.''
Life after prison
This son of a truck driver — as he often refers to himself — was greeted after his release by about 1,000 supporters at an event in Youngstown, many wearing T-shirts saying, ''Welcome Home Jimbo.''
Since then, Traficant has hit the airwaves with his own talk radio show on WTAM (1100-AM) in Cleveland, been working on trying to woo a casino to the Mahoning Valley, discussing a possible book/movie/television series and circulating petitions to try to return to the Congress that expelled him.
Traficant is focusing on the 6th and the 17th districts and must chose one by the Feb. 18 filing deadline for the May primary, unless he chooses to run as an independent. Charlie Wilson represents the 6th District, while Tim Ryan has the 17th, Traficant's former district, which has been reconfigured and includes parts of Summit and Portage counties. Wilson and Ryan both are Democrats.
''Any money Akron, Youngstown or Steubenville gets will be because of me,'' Traficant said. ''They do not want me back.''
Traficant, 68, can run for Congress, despite his convictions, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
He isn't sure if he'll run as a Democrat, which he has been all his life, Republican or independent. Disgusted with the two leading parties, he said his main goal is to lead the charge for a viable third party.
''The Democrat and Republican parties have failed,'' he said. ''Both are as worthless as tits on a bullfrog.''
He'll kick off his effort Feb. 13, when he will be the keynote speaker at a town hall meeting in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the American Free Press, a right-wing group that has floated the idea of Traficant running as an independent for president.
Traficant thinks the 16th Amendment allowing the levying of an income tax should be repealed, the Internal Revenue Service abolished, a flat 25 percent sales tax levied on new goods and services, and federal spending significantly curtailed. Without substantial changes, he predicts the nation's debt will reach $25 trillion in 10 years and several states will move to secede.
''Beam me up!'' he said, which is one of his catchphrases.
Sharing his ideas
His views resonated with the crowd at Tangier, which is why Liston sought him out as a speaker.
''He has a lot of similar ideas that we have,'' said Liston, 32, who is running for the 44th Ohio House seat held by Rep. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron. ''He's been saying them a lot longer than I've been an adult.''
During Traficant's remarks at Tangier, he discussed his political plans and the need for a third party and other major changes.
''Stimulate this!'' he said at one point — his newest catchphrase.
He detailed his contributions during his congressional days and a few of his more outrageous moments. This included reciting a limerick related to the Lorena Bobbit incident during one House session and referring to his colleagues as ''a bunch of political prostitutes'' during another. For this remark, he later apologized to prostitutes for associating them with Congress.
Traficant earned applause from the audience several times, joked with people before and after the event, and posed for a few pictures.
David Macko, a Libertarian running for the 17th Ohio House District, thinks Traficant was framed and that he ''speaks the truth.'' He got Traficant to autograph his copy of Target: Traficant, the Untold Story, a book that alleges a conspiracy against Traficant.
John Deagan, who grew up in the village of Poland, where Traficant is from, and now lives in Jackson Township and heads Stark County's Libertarian Party, said he had to hear Traficant speak.
''What a life,'' he said. ''The good. The bad. And the ugly.''
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com.
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