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Beam Me Back Down
The Youngstown populist Jim Traficant, ex-congressman and ex-con, says he's going to make another run for the House, this time as an independent.
Elsewhere in Reason: A brief selection of Traficant's Star Trek references on the House floor.
[Via J.H. Huebert.]
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|2.24.10 @ 10:04AM|#
I'd find some empathy for this insane person if he referred to something else Trekkian beyond "Beam me up." Like, I dunno, "Khaaan! Khaaan!"
|2.24.10 @ 10:06AM|#
I thought he was still in prison. When did he get out? And doesn't being a felon make you ineligible for the House?
|2.24.10 @ 10:18AM|#
I'm not sure how that works. You have to be a resident of the state and 25-years old to be a Representative under the Constitution, but I believe states have certain eligibility requirements, too, like whether you have to live in your district and concerning things like being a felon.
Joel|2.24.10 @ 10:44AM|#
I gather he ran for re-election while still in prison and nobody threw him off the ballot, so I guess you can.
|2.24.10 @ 11:04AM|#
I suspect that of states that might prevent felons from running for office, Ohio and Illinois are not among them. Louisiana, too, come to think of it.
Jesse Walker|2.24.10 @ 10:17AM|#
I think he got out last year. I remember him doing a reentry interview of sorts on one of the cable news channels after his release.
Jesse Walker|2.24.10 @ 10:18AM|#
Follow-up: He got out last September.
Citizen Nothing|2.24.10 @ 10:21AM|#
I was in Warren, Ohio (near Youngstown) for the first time last week. Coincidentally, the potholes were as big as James Doohan circa Star Trek: Generations.
ed|2.24.10 @ 10:28AM|#
They let Traficant out but his wig chose to remain in custody, for its own safety.
|2.24.10 @ 10:41AM|#
We need more comic relief on Capitol Hill.
|2.24.10 @ 10:45AM|#
Goddamn, it's about time. Pelosi is funny, just not in that "ha ha" funny kind of way.
tea time|2.24.10 @ 10:45AM|#
"What is next? Rectal Diaries? Men are dropping like flies in America from prostate cancer and Broadway is promoting vaginal titillation. Beam me up." Another stupid male in politics won't hurt and I want him back for the entertainment value.
robc|2.24.10 @ 10:47AM|#
it is called CONgress for a reason.
Corduroy Rocks|2.24.10 @ 1:03PM|#
Funny, I always thought it was the opposite of PROgress.
|2.24.10 @ 10:47AM|#
During one of the few times I've ventured off XM recently, I thought I heard Trivisonno plugging some sort of semi-regular weekend show on WTAM featuring Traficant.
|2.24.10 @ 10:56AM|#
Traficant was the most entertaining congress critter of the CSPAN era. I'd love to see him back on the bridge.
I'm not convinced he wasn't framed. Sure he's a few piccolos short of a band. But that just makes him an easier target.
Jersey Patriot|2.24.10 @ 11:14AM|#
Reliable petty corruption and harmless insanity may be the best we can hope for from Congress right now.
|2.24.10 @ 11:30AM|#
Saying "beam me up" does not a Star Trek reference make. If he mentioned Commodore Decker or redshirts, maybe.
|2.24.10 @ 11:56AM|#
I'll vote for any politician who refers to a trillion dollars as a quatloo.
Expendable Red Guy|2.24.10 @ 1:18PM|#
Traficant's hair is the only thing in the universe that can stand up to The Jacket. In a fight, it would be the immovable object against the irresistable force.
I gotta go - I get offed in the next scene.