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Some in Congress Would Delay Traficant Expulsion

Aired July 23, 2002 - 14:54   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: There's a move afoot in Congress to delay a vote on the fate of Representative James Traficant. Last week, the House Ethics Committee recommended expelling the Ohio democrat in the wake of his federal corruption conviction.

CNN's Kate Snow joins us now from Capitol Hill to tell us what's up with this -- Kate.

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, we expected the full House of Representatives to move on this this week, maybe even tomorrow to vote on that recommendation to expel Jim Traficant.

But there's been a new development, a story that just seems to never end, and now a new wrinkle. Last week when Traficant defended himself before the Ethics Committee -- the video you're seeing here -- he called a witness who had not appeared at his trial, a guy named Richard Detore. Detore said that he was pressured by the prosecutor in the case, in the criminal trial, to lie about things that Traficant had done or said. He said that last week.

Over the weekend, a juror who had served in Traficant's trial in Cleveland, came forward and told the Cleveland paper that he now feels if he had heard the testimony from this gentlemen in that courtroom, that perhaps he would have had enough doubt to not convict Traficant. Here on Capitol Hill, that man's congressman, from northern Ohio, is now moving to try to delay all these proceedings against Traficant, saying maybe Congress should wait, take a breath, and see how things play out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STEVEN LATOURETTE (R), OHIO: I called the speaker on Saturday, actually, from Ohio, and indicated that this was happening with first juror. And what I intend to ask him is that perhaps this does not need to be this week. We have a lot of other things to do, with appropriations and homeland security, and that no harm is done to anyone by not having a vote to expel Mr. Traficant until we return after Labor Day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNOW: A Republican majority leader, Dick Armey, echoed that today, saying there's a lot on their plate this week -- homeland security among other things -- things that are very important -- maybe they don't have time to deal with this mess right now.

But Democrats saying a very different story, Kyra, saying that they think they should go right ahead, they don't have time to wait. A Democratic aid tells me that the speaker, Hastert, called. Dick Gephardt, the minority leader, tried to get them to hold off, and the Democrat leader has said no. They are going to go ahead and push this; if the Republicans try to hold off, the Democrats would offer a motion, Kyra, to try to push ahead. In their view, this man is a convicted felon, and he needs to be out of the Congress -- Kyra.

Kate Snow, live from the Hill. Thank you.

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