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| G'bye, Mr Traficant |
| 2002-07-25 |
| The House expelled convicted Ohio Rep. James Traficant on Wednesday, only the second time a sitting member has been banished since the Civil War. Representatives voted 420-1 to remove the nine-term Democrat for taking kickbacks from employees, encouraging the destruction of evidence, soliciting bribes and other gifts from businessmen and filing false income tax returns. "I'm prepared to lose everything. I'm prepared to go to jail. You go ahead and expel me," he said, maintaining his innocence and claiming that government prosecutors coerced witnesses to lie in order to win the court convictions against him. The only lawmaker voting against Traficant's expulsion was Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif., who was defeated in a primary for rs voted present. Somebody go over there and kick both of them in the crotch. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |