WASHINGTON Traficant's caucus with GOP irks Dems

The congressman's spokesman dismissed the visit by his boss as no big deal.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.'s sitting in on a Republican caucus was no big deal, his spokesman, Charles Straub says.
It apparently is a big deal to congressional Democrats.
Kim Rubey, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, contacted The Vindicator to talk about Traficant's time with the Republicans.
"Traficant's Democratic colleagues have been wondering where he's been for months," Rubey said. "Now we know. Plotting strategy with the Republicans."
No assignment given: Democrats refused to give Traficant, of Poland, D-17th, a committee assignment or allow him to caucus with them after he crossed party lines in January to vote for Republican Dennis Hastert as speaker of the House.
"He abandoned the Democratic Party," Rubey said.
Republicans offered him a seat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, but because of House protocol, Traficant would have to leave the Democratic Party to take the position.
Straub said Traficant is not going to leave the party, even though he is critical of its leadership and sat in on the Republican caucus. It was a matter of timing that led Traficant to attend the last 10 to 15 minutes of a GOP conference, he said.
Sat in on GOP meeting: Traficant showed up on the House floor about 10 a.m. Wednesday to put the finishing touches on one of his one-minute speeches when he walked into the GOP meeting, Straub said.
The Republicans usually meet in the Cannon Building, but for some reason were on the House floor. Instead of leaving, Traficant sat in the back and was not asked to leave, Straub said.
"He never sat in on a Republican caucus meeting before, but he has a good relationship on both sides of the aisle," Straub said.
"You may find it interesting that he was not thrown out, but it was purely coincidental that he was there. He could have left, but he marches pretty freely through Capitol Hill."
Straub said he was surprised Democrats called the newspaper.
"It only makes them look petty," he said. "I'm not sure why it's being discussed."