Trafficant Decision Coming 2PM:Live Thread

C-SPAN | 7-18-02 | my favorite headache

[My Favorite Headache]

This is going to be must see t.v.

[DoughtyOne]

Is this Jim? (only kidding) Jim, you are our FavoriteHeadache, but it is wearing very thin. Shut the _____ up! I used to be able to respect you if only for short periods of time. But now you've gone completely over the edge. It seems you have found a way to alienate every human on the planet. It's a sad thing to watch, seeing anyone self-destruct in the manner that you are.

[My Favorite Headache]

I can't imagine whatelse he is going to say. My guess is when he gets his decision on this...he will flip out. Suicide? or just books and all kinds of rants for 20 yrs from him?

[VRWC_minion]

This should nudge Harkin et al off the front pages. By next week the latest Bush scandal will be a memory and the Rats ratings will sink back down.

[DoughtyOne]

I'm not sure what makes this guy tick. He doesn't seem to be playing to anyone in a rational manner. He can't possibly think he's fairing well with the public spectical he's making of himself. A normal person would sink to despartely low depths if they were convicted. This guy? Who knows? You could be right. On the other hand this guy might consider himself the victor throughout. Seems he is dilusional.

[jern]

House Panel Finds Traficant Guilty
Thu Jul 18,11:49 AM ET
By MALIA RULON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - A House panel on Thursday found Rep. Jim Traficant guilty of ethics violations stemming from his conviction on bribery, tax evasion and fraud, moving the flamboyant Ohio congressman a step closer to being expelled from the House.

The decision means the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct must now decide whether the violations are serious enough to recommend expelling Traficant or whether the House should accept a lesser punishment.

If expelled, Traficant would become only the second member of Congress to be kicked out since the Civil War.

"Mr. Chair, I request you go light," Traficant asked the committee chairman, Rep. Joel Hefley ( news, bio, voting record), R-Colo., saying he was very disappointed that the panel took his Cleveland conviction "and stamp it as being a decision of truthfulness."

"I don't know what they're going to do," Traficant said after the verdict. "They're probably going to expel me. I don't blame them."

An eight-member subcommittee of the panel found Traficant guilty of nine of the 10 ethics violations. The full 10-member committee said that it would decide later Thursday whether to recommend whether the House should expel him or decide upon a lesser punishment.

Traficant told onlookers at his hearing that he plans to wear a denim suit and do a "Michael Jackson moonwalk" on the House floor if he ends up defending himself against expulsion in front of the full 435-member House.

Expulsion requires the approval of two-thirds of the House. The only other member who has been kicked out since the Civil War was Rep. Michael Myers, D-Pa., who was expelled in 1980 for accepting money from undercover FBI ( news - web sites) agents posing as Arab sheiks seeking favors from Congress.

The decision came after Traficant put on a defiant defense, telling the ethics panel that he'd rather die in jail than confess to something he didn't do.

Traficant was convicted in April by a federal jury of bribery, tax evasion and racketeering. The question before his fellow lawmakers was whether he also was guilty of violating congressional rules.

The committee did dismiss one of the counts against Traficant, an allegation that the other charges represented a "continuing pattern" of misconduct.

Traficant entered the hearing room with a devil-may-care attitude, apparently expecting the worst. He complained about the lack of coffee at his table, threatened to ask the full House to expel the members of the ethics committee and joked with his Ohio colleagues, Reps. Steve LaTourette and Stephanie Tubbs Jones, who sat on the panel.

"You know, Mr. Latourette, you could take better care of your neighbor," he complained.

The subcommittee did not reveal how each lawmaker voted on the counts.

A House ethics subcommittee has been deliberating since Wednesday. The ethics accusations mirror the charges that Traficant was found guilty of after a nine-week trial in Cleveland.

Prosecutors have recommended he serve at least 7-1/4 years in prison on the criminal charges. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30.

The 61-year-old Traficant, who is not a lawyer, defended himself in court and before his peers against accusations that he took kickbacks from employees, encouraged the destruction of evidence, solicited bribes and other gifts from businessmen and filed false income tax returns.

Committee lawyer Paul Lewis repeatedly called on the House members to use their common sense to find Traficant guilty, "like the jury did in this criminal trial where they found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."

But Traficant insisted that all of the witnesses in the criminal trial lied and were forced to do so under threat of reprisal by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service ( news - web sites).

The nine-term lawmaker has complained about a government vendetta since he beat the FBI in a bribery case in 1983, also while defending himself. Traficant, who was a county sheriff at the time, used the victory to propel himself to Congress in 1984.

Traficant was abrasive to committee lawyers and panel members throughout three days of hearings, and became so enraged during Lewis' closing statement that he began to shout objections.

[My Favorite Headache]

They found him guilty yes. But will they kick him out?? Hahahaha..of course. It is 2pm now. The show begins.

[My Favorite Headache]

It's on C-SPAN 3. Not 1 or 2. FYI

[Bahbah]

No tv here so please report. Thanks.

[My Favorite Headache]

Jim asking for House to stay its decision today.Asking people to recuse themselves.

[My Favorite Headache]

He will not resign. If he is removed today "God save and help this Republic"

[My Favorite Headache]

He is talking about conspiracy again

[wimpycat]

Doesn't the full HOuse have to vote to expel him? Is this the full House? No access to TV. Please elaborate.

[My Favorite Headache]

He is screaming " I AM pissed off!!!!...congress giving ME no justice...conspiracy...the judge's husband in a conspiracy against me..."

CALLED JANET RENO COMMITED TREASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO JIM! SUE ME JANET! YOU TRAITOR...TALKING ABOUT THE DNC...TRYING TO SHUT HIM UP ON CHINESE MONEY...GOD ALMIGHTY!

[reddog]

It's on C-SPAN

Damn 1 and 2 no 3!!!!!???

[Fred Mertz]

"Janet Reno committed TREASON!"

GO Traficant GO!!

[Goldwater Girl]

House subcommittee votes on recommendation to full Ethics Committee- another vote there to present to full House. He will have time there to present his case before 2/3 vote to expel (presuming this is their recommendation)

[My Favorite Headache]

"When the truth comes out before November elections, there will be a serious horse race...because they are scared about what I know and will tell." "I will be speaking in Orlando in mid-August..it is over for em"

[My Favorite Headache]

Fred,

Line of the day! "She should be in JAIL!" HAHAHAHAHA...THAT RULES.

[clintonh8r]

What "they" is he referring to?