Jim Traficant | |
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![]() Traficant's official congressional portrait, 1997 | |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 17th district | |
In office January 3, 1985 – July 24, 2002 | |
Preceded by | Lyle Williams |
Succeeded by | Tim Ryan |
Sheriff of Mahoning County | |
In office 1981–1984 | |
Preceded by | George D. Tablack |
Succeeded by | Edward Nemeth |
Personal details | |
Born | James Anthony Traficant Jr. May 8, 1941 Youngstown, Ohio, U.S. |
Died | September 27, 2014 (aged 73) Poland, Ohio, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic (until 2002) |
Other political affiliations | Independent (from 2002) |
Spouse | Tish Choppa |
Education | University of Pittsburgh (BS, MS) Youngstown State University (MS) |
James Anthony Traficant Jr. (/ˈtræfɪkənt/ TRAF-ih-kənt; May 8, 1941 – September 27, 2014) was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. A staunch economic populist known for his flamboyant personality,[1] he represented the 17th congressional district, which centered on his hometown of Youngstown and included parts of three counties in northeast Ohio's Mahoning Valley.
Traficant was expelled from the House on July 24, 2002, after being convicted of ten felony counts, including taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering, and forcing his congressional staff to perform chores at his farm in Ohio and houseboat in Washington, D.C.[2] He was sentenced to prison and released on September 2, 2009, after serving a seven-year sentence. Traficant died on September 27, 2014, following a tractor accident at his farm in Green Township, Ohio.
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