According to details, James Traficant, the outspoken former congressman from Ohio, was convicted on August 5, 2002 on 10 bribery corruption charges, illegal business, felonies, conspiracy to fraud, illegal gratuity, obstruction of justice and filing a false tax return. 61-year-old Traficant was the second Congress member who was kicked out of the Congress due to these charges since the American Civil War. Convicted in Ohio he was sentenced to 8 years in prison.

Traficant presented his innocence in the case portraying himself as the prey of government feud, while speaking to the media personals before his conviction, James said, If I am to be expelled under these circumstances, then God save the republic and God save the Constitution.” He even warned lawmakers not to expel him saying, “I will break out of prison and I’ll make a necktie out of some these bureaucrats.”

The prison where Traficant is housed is an all-male, low-security facility with about 1,375 inmates. It’s in central Pennsylvania, about 200 miles north of Washington. He asked to be placed in Ohio’s federal prison.

James Traficant

James Traficant

James Traficant