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CNN Saturday Morning News

Traficant Faces Federal Charges

Aired May 05, 2001 - 09:05   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: One of the most colorful congressmen on Capitol Hill facing corruption charges this morning. Democrat James Traficant of Ohio was indicted yesterday on 10 counts including bribery and obstruction of justice.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken with that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There are 10 counts. The charges against Ohio Democratic Congressman Jim Traficant include bribery, tax evasion, obstruction of justice, racketeering. Traficant has defiantly predicted this for months.

REP. JAMES TRAFICANT (D), OHIO: I'm as frightened as anyone would be in my position. I want to say this to the U.S. attorneys, you also have pressure. You must defeat me, because if I defeat you, you'll be working in Mingo Junction, and I'm going to show up.

FRANKEN: Mingo Junction is a tiny town nearby.

But in a week, Traficant is expected in Cleveland for arraignment. The charges range from interceding on behalf of the contractors with the government in return for work done on his farm and boat, accepting kickbacks from staff members he kept on his congressional payroll, trying to destroy evidence, and giving false testimony before the grand jury, and evading income taxes in 1998 and '99.

TRAFICANT: I will challenge them. I will challenge them in court. I will represent myself.

FRANKEN: He represented himself in 1983 when he was the county sheriff here and charged with racketeering. And Jim Traficant won his criminal case but lost in tax court.

Since then, he has used his nine terms in Congress to repeatedly rail against the Internal Revenue Service and the Justice Department. That, says Traficant, is why he's being indicted.

(on camera): This is part of the federal corruption investigation in Youngstown, which has been under way since 1997 and has resulted in more than 70 convictions, including a local judge, a sheriff, and a Traficant aide. Bob Franken, CNN, Youngstown, Ohio.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: This is part of a corruption investigation in Youngstown that began in 1997 and has thus far resulted, Miles, in 70- plus convictions, including a sheriff, a local judge, and a Traficant aide -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. CNN's Bob Franken reporting live this morning. Thanks very much.

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