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| spouse=Patricia "Tish" Choppa Traficant | party=Democratic (1981–2010) Independent (2010–2014) | preceded=Lyle Williams | succeeded=Tim Ryan | term=January 3, 1985 – July 24, 2002 | religion=Roman Catholic }} James Anthony Traficant, Jr. (May 8, 1941 – September 27, 2014) was a Democratic, and later independent, politician and member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio. He represented the 17th Congressional District, which centered on his hometown of Youngstown and included parts of three counties in northeast Ohio's Mahoning Valley. He was expelled after being convicted of taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering and forcing his aides to perform chores at his farm in Ohio and houseboat in Washington, D.C.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/04/11/traficant.trial )〕 He was sentenced to prison and released on September 2, 2009, after serving a seven-year sentence. ==Early life, education, and career== Born into a working-class, Catholic family in Youngstown, Ohio, Traficant was the son of Agnes (née Farkas) and James Anthony Traficant, Sr.〔(Mass, Parties Fete Traficants on Anniversary ), Youngstown Vindicator, June 15, 1977〕 He was of mostly Italian and Slovak ancestry. Traficant graduated from Cardinal Mooney High School in 1959 and the University of Pittsburgh in 1963. He played quarterback for Pitt's football team, and his teammates included Mike Ditka.〔Milan Simonich, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, (Rep. James Traficant: 'He's perceived ... to have almost magical powers' ), April 12, 2002〕 Traficant was drafted in the NFL's twentieth round (276th overall) by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1963, and tried out for the Steelers and the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League, but did not play professionally.〔Jack Snell, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, (Steelers Sign all but Four Draft Choices: Pitt's Traficant Still Undecided ), June 20, 1963〕〔United Press International, Beaver County Times, (Steelers Cut Jim Traficant ), July 27, 1963〕 He later obtained a master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh (1973) and another from Youngstown State University (1976).〔U.S. Government Printing Office, (1993–1994 Official Congressional Directory ), 1993, page 238〕 At the start of his career, Traficant worked as consumer finance director for the Youngstown Community Action Program. He taught courses on drug and alcohol dependency and recovery at Youngstown State University and Kent State University, as well as lecturing on drug and alcohol abuse for colleges and government agencies outside Ohio. In addition, Traficant taught at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy.〔U.S. Government Printing Office, (Congressional Directory ), 1999, page 213〕 He was the executive director of the Mahoning County Drug Program from 1971 to 1981, and Sheriff of Mahoning County from 1981 to 1985. While serving as Sheriff, Traficant made national headlines by refusing to execute foreclosure orders on several unemployed homeowners, many of whom had been left out of work by the recent closures of steel mills. This endeared him to the local population, which was dealing with a declining economy following the closures and relocations of steel making and steel-associated businesses. In 1983, he was charged with racketeering for accepting bribes. Traficant, who represented himself in the criminal trial, argued that he accepted the bribes only as part of his own alleged secret undercover investigation into corruption. Traficant was acquitted of the charges, becoming the only person ever to win a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) case while representing himself.〔Scott A. Frisch, Sean Q. Kelly, (Committee Assignment Politics in the U.S. House of Representatives ), 2006, page 170〕〔Congressional Quarterly, Traficant Responds Defiantly to Corruption Indictment, Volume 59, 2001, page 989〕 Publicity from the RICO trial increased Traficant's local visibility. He was elected as a Democrat to Congress from Ohio's 17th District, defeating Lyle Williams, a three-term Republican incumbent. He was reelected eight times without serious opposition. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「James Traficant」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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