Ahrcanum

Thinking of recent developments in politicians who are supposed to fight crime and not commit crimes, I am reminded of former Congressman Jim Traficant of Ohio.  Famous for his unique one minute speeches, http://www.thememoryhole.org/traficant/  A partial biography can be found here http://www.freetraficant.com/bio.html.

Traficant served 17 years in Congress but in July of 2002,  received an eight year  prison sentence after being convicted of racketeering, bribery, obstruction of justice and tax evasion. The House, using the trial transcript expelled him.  Traficant is currently incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, MN but with six months to go to the end of his sentance, he had the option of being transferred to his hometown of Youngstown in a half-way house. 

Usually non-violent federal inmates are permitted the chance to spend the last six months of their sentences in a half way house, but on Jan. 12, 2009,  The US Bureau of Prisons notified directors with the Youngstown based Community Corrections Association half way house, that Traficant planned transfer has been canceled.  As reported by local paper, The Vindicator.  What?  Why? Who wouldn’t want a get out of jail card?

James A. Traficant, that’s who.  Traficant reportedly told prison officials he did not want to go to CCA because its director Richard J. Billak, CCA chief executive officer testified against him during his racketeering trial.  As the former Congressman would have said in his the one-minute House speeches -the phrase “Beam me up.”

Rather than have to deal with Billack and have work privileges, weekend passes, and other perks afforded to rehabilitated inmates, he chose jail.  

In 1983 while being a Youngstown sheriff , he was charged with racketeering for accepting bribes by the mob. In 1980, Youngstown found itself in the middle of a Mafia turf war.  At the time, the city had two major organized-crime factions.  One was the Carabbia brothers–Ron (who had been convicted of murder and was doing time in prison), Charles and Orland; their principal loyalties were to the Cleveland syndicate.  The other faction, aligned with the Pittsburgh mob, was led by James Prato and Joey Naples.  Charles Carabbia and Prato were the bosses of the two crime groups.      Although Carabbia and Prato were rivals, they often worked together on certain operations, such as buying off local politicians.

Traficant, who represented himself in the criminal trial, claimed that he accepted the bribes only as part of an undercover investigation into corruption and was was acquitted of the charges.  He pleaded not guilty, telling the press, “To all those politicians who want me to resign: Go fuck yourselves.”

Question:  What did the people of Youngstown, Ohio, do when their sheriff was accused by the FBI of taking payoffs from the Mafia, signed a “confession,” and then beat the wrap by defending himself in court?

     Answer:  They elected him to Congress. source- http://www.moldea.com/Traficant.html 

Surely prosecutors never forgot his actions, indifference and attitude and upon being brought up again on RICO charges and yet again defending himself, they pounced and found him guilty.

The Traficant conviction wasn’t without controversy with allegations of  malicious prosecutions.  The Justice Department declined to investigate sworn allegations of witness tampering, despite a public request from then Congressman (now Ohio Governor) Ted Strickland. http://www.governor.ohio.gov/

“Richard Detore, former chief operating officer of  U.S. Aerospace Group, told the House Ethics Committee that Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Morford in Cleveland, on orders from former Attorney General Janet Reno, pressured him to lie to win Traficant conviction. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,58248,00.html 

When the National Democrat Party Committee accepted a $10 million contribution from a General in the Red Chinese Army, Traficant charged that Attorney General Janet Reno, was a traitor for failing to investigate the issue. Traficant made his charges on the floor of the Congress.

a) China’s trade surplus with America is now over $150 billion per year, and China is buying missiles and nuclear submarines with American dollars.b) Traficant also charged Janet Reno for the Waco tragedy.c) AIPAC and Janet Reno were incensed, “Traficant had to go!” http://truthilizer.livejournal.com/

Morford became a national celebrity when the President appointed him Acting Deputy Attorney General but left in 2008 never having made a Senate testimony and a  Senate confirmation would have been required for permanent appointment of Morford as the Deputy AG .  Detore testified before the ethics panel without an attorney or a promise of immunity. No one else backed up his claims and Morford has denied them.  Morford wento on to work at Cardinal Health.  http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS139557+18-Mar-2008+PRN20080318

Traficant’s final address to the reiterated his pleas of innocence and that “I am not going to shut up”  http://www.thememoryhole.org/traficant/final-speech.htm

“People identified with me having the balls to stand up.  When you think about it, that’s what it is: balls,” said Traficant. 

Balls enough to stay in prison rather than work for and live within reach of a man who helped convict you?  Seems so.  I wonder what he is going to have to say upon his release?

The colorful outspoken maverick has never before painted anything-other than perhaps the side of a barn or fence.  However, in January of 2005 at the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota he took to “art” like a duck to water. Some of his original paintings can be found at http://www.beammeupart.com/  

For those who may be interested -“”After reading Traficant’s speech, “The Bankruptcy of the United States” delivered on the floor of Congress in 1993, it was evident why THEY wanted to shut him up. He proclaimed, “The United States Federal government has been dissolved by the Emergency Banking Act, March 9, 1933, declared by President Roosevelt. The receivers of the United States bankruptcy are the International bankers, via the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. All United States offices, officials and departments are now operating within a de facto status in name only under Emergency War powers. This new form of government is known as a Democracy (instead of a Republic), being an established Socialist/Communist order under a new governor for America.””
Posted near the bottom of http://truthilizer.livejournal.com/

Traficant is now expected to remain behind bars until his release date, now projected for this September.

Updated September 10, 2009 in a related post- https://ahrcanum.wordpress.com/2009/09/10/jim-traficant-free-to-speak-out-again/