James Traficant, Ex-Con and Former Congressman, on Ballot in Ohio
Tom Diemer
Correspondent
Posted:
09/2/10
Beam him up, Scotty! James A. Traficant, the wild-haired ex-convict who was ousted from Congress in 2002, has qualified for the ballot in Ohio and will run for his old U.S. House seat as an independent.
The Trumbull County Board of Elections ruled Wednesday that Traficant -- bell-bottom pants, cowboy boots, distinctive toupee, and all -- is good to go in Ohio's 17th District, encompassing Youngstown and parts of Akron. He rounded up 2,154 valid signatures, 11 more than he needed, the Associated Press reported.
Released from prison last year after serving seven years for bribery and other corruption-related charges, Traficant was disqualified from the ballot in July when his petition was thrown out for invalid signatures. But he didn't give up the fight. Trumbull Board Director Kelly Pallante says other election boards in the northeastern Ohio district will be notified to put his name on the ballot, the AP said.
During his last term in the House, Traficant became estranged from the Democratic Party and this summer he spoke at Tea Party events in Ohio. But he said Wednesday that the Tea Party looks "like they've joined the Republicans at this point."
The onetime Mahoning County sheriff -- he was accused of taking a bribe back in the 1980s but beat the rap -- served 17 years in Congress, most of the time as a Democrat with strong populist leanings. He is challenging his successor, Rep. Tim Ryan (D), and Republican Jim Graham.
"I've got no money," he said of the impending campaign. "They've got me painted as Darth Vader." That's a "Star Wars" reference; in Congress Traficant favored "Star Trek," often ending his colorful one-minute speeches with the phrase "Beam me up."
The Trumbull County Board of Elections ruled Wednesday that Traficant -- bell-bottom pants, cowboy boots, distinctive toupee, and all -- is good to go in Ohio's 17th District, encompassing Youngstown and parts of Akron. He rounded up 2,154 valid signatures, 11 more than he needed, the Associated Press reported.
Released from prison last year after serving seven years for bribery and other corruption-related charges, Traficant was disqualified from the ballot in July when his petition was thrown out for invalid signatures. But he didn't give up the fight. Trumbull Board Director Kelly Pallante says other election boards in the northeastern Ohio district will be notified to put his name on the ballot, the AP said.
During his last term in the House, Traficant became estranged from the Democratic Party and this summer he spoke at Tea Party events in Ohio. But he said Wednesday that the Tea Party looks "like they've joined the Republicans at this point."
The onetime Mahoning County sheriff -- he was accused of taking a bribe back in the 1980s but beat the rap -- served 17 years in Congress, most of the time as a Democrat with strong populist leanings. He is challenging his successor, Rep. Tim Ryan (D), and Republican Jim Graham.
"I've got no money," he said of the impending campaign. "They've got me painted as Darth Vader." That's a "Star Wars" reference; in Congress Traficant favored "Star Trek," often ending his colorful one-minute speeches with the phrase "Beam me up."