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Louie b. Free
Anyone who’s spent time in Youngstown, Ohio, is entitled to nagging affection for the gritty old steeltown that has long struggled with lost jobs and serial political corruption. Bruce Springsteen lyricized its fate: “I’m sinkin’ down here Darlin’ in Youngstown.” There’s a touch of fresh hope at word that a collective yawn is greeting the return of former Representative James Traficant, who is on the streets vowing a political comeback after a seven-year prison stretch.
The politician once beloved as Jimbo is loudly threatening to run again for Congress and working his old shtick about government victimizing the little people. Trusted civic leaders — people who fight endlessly for reform — estimate Mr. Traficant’s standing to be at best as a talk-radio grievance peddler, not as a resurrected politician capable of catching on, as he is trying to do, with the new tea-party theatrics.
Across nine Congressional terms Mr. Traficant became a cherished folk hero with his eagle’s aerie of a toupee and House rants (“Beam me up, Scotty!”). Flamboyance didn’t work in court. Despite strutting thunderously as his own defense counsel, he was convicted on 10 counts of official corruption and staff shakedowns.
Mr. Traficant was spellbinding in the courtroom — a self-absorbed bully, a tragic clown vowing vengeance as he was led off. You had to hope there was no second act for a politician like him.
If there isn’t, something is right in Youngstown. Political corruption is still bone-deep; another former judge pleaded guilty the other day to fraud charges. But the city by the Mahoning may have wised up enough to resist Traficant Redux.
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