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Could be End of Line For Controversial Congressman James Traficant

Aired July 24, 2002 - 10:13   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It could be the end of the line for controversial congressman James Traficant. The House is set to vote later today on whether to expel the Ohio Democrat, and true to form, Traficant says he will not go quietly if he is kicked out.

Our congressional correspondent Kate Snow joins us now with the latest on that.

Kate, you've had a firsthand or a front row seat to many of these comments as it's worked its way through the courts.

Good morning.

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I have.

Good morning, Daryn.

I spent a lot of time in Ohio, and I just talked to Traficant's office. They tell me, by the way, he is just leaving this morning from Youngstown, Ohio. He is driving to Washington D.C. It's a seven-hour drive. He's on his way back now in time to get here for about 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, when they start these proceedings against him.

It is likely to be his final capping performance tonight. Last week, the House ethics panel recommended the house should expel Mr. Traficant. We do expect that is what will happen tonight. As you say, Daryn, he is not going down without a fight. In fact, we almost didn't have a hearing tonight, or a vote tonight, because of something that happened last week.

There was a witness that showed up, this man, Richard Detour, last week before the House ethics panel, he was called by Traficant. He had not appeared before the criminal trial. He testified last week that he had been pressured by prosecutors in Traficant's criminal trial to lie about Jim Traficant. Over the weekend, a juror who had served on the jury that convicted Traficant back in Cleveland said that if he had heard from Detour before, he might have changed his mind. He mind not have found Traficant guilty. Traficant talked about that last night in an interview with Connie Chung.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. JAMES TRAFICANT (D), OHIO: Congress, if in fact there was any justice, they would ask for a stay of the sentencing of Traficant, while they investigate the prosecutorial misconduct brought forward by Richard Detour. Now, you should interview Richard Detour, because why does America fear their government? And if we fear our government, what does that end up getting into, Connie? Hating our government? I love America, but I hate the FBI and the IRS, and they can go to hell. That's the way it is.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: A Traficant spokesperson says expect to hear more from Traficant tonight, about the trial, about the flaws that he sees in the government's case. He will be given a half hour to speak. I'm told he might even ask for more time. A lot of people are probably going to tune into this, particularly on CSPAN, to laugh at Traficant's antics. But I talked yesterday with a good friend of his, a fellow congressman, about just about, about how people laugh at him. He says Traficant is often misunderstood, or underestimated. He really does know what he's doing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STEVE LATOURETTE (D), OHIO: My observation of him is he is very bright. I think he knows exactly what he's doing when he engages in talking about that he has to go to the restroom or some of the other things that he pulled. But I will also tell you, that as his friend, those things don't help him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: Latourette also told me that, in fact, at one point last week, he caught up with Traficant in the hallway, and said, look, knock it off, just cool it off a little bit, you're being too over the top; this is serious business. Latourette says, you know, he points out, this is the second time only since the Civil War that a member could potentially be kicked out of the U.S. Congress, out of the House.

If Traficant has proven anything, though, Daryn, it's that he will go down quietly. He will probably continue with antics tonight, despite the fact some of his friends are warning him to cool it off a little -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Let's look post-antics here, Kate. What would happen to him next? And also about that seat if he is kicked out? Who represents those folks from Ohio?

SNOW: Right, right, good questions. First of all, he is sentenced, the sentencing for him in his criminal trial scheduled for next week. So he will be sentenced next week. The prosecution has asked for seven years, roughly, for him in jail. He will probably go to prison. He has been out on bond. He has already signed up on ballot to the run for re-election of the 17th Congressional district in Ohio. The governor will probably call a special election to fill the seat in which Traficant will try to run. We're told by political watchers that he will probably draw some support, probably but not enough to win, but it could spoil things for the other two candidates, Daryn, who are trying to run for that seat. There is a Democrat and a Republican. He is running as an independent from jail -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So it's possible; it's not probable -- it's possible, he can get kicked out, and then run and then win his seat back, and he'd be right back in.

SNOW: Theoretically, it's possible. It's legal. He can try. We don't think it has ever happened before. We have been trying to check the history up here, but it's highly unlikely. Most likely he would get 15 percent of the vote, taking votes away from, particularly the Democratic candidate, who is someone who used to work for him, so they draw on some of the same support there.

KAGAN: It might also be kind of hard to serve the clinker, too.

SNOW: He says he would try.

KAGAN: He would try. Well, he probably would. Kate Snow on Capitol Hill, thank you.

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