WASHINGTON Action sought against Traficant

Traficant is 'an immediate eye-catcher,' his spokesman said.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Roll Call, a prominent congressional newspaper, has called for the House of Representatives to reprimand, or even censure, U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. for his comments during his stint last week as guest host on WKBN-AM radio's morning show.
"His behavior -- often on the House floor and lately on a radio show based in his home state -- has repeatedly brought discredit to Congress," a Roll Call editorial said today. "Yet he has been treated by colleagues as a curiosity, not the disgrace he so clearly is."
The newspaper said by not punishing him, the House is tolerating Traficant's "ugly, shameful conduct."
Cites radio comments: The editorial pointed to unsubstantiated comments Traficant, of Poland, D-17th, made on the radio, accusing an FBI agent of rape, another of bribery and working for the Mafia and Mahoning County Sheriff Randall Wellington of corruption, using obscenities on the air and voicing "allegations that a neighboring town's emergency operations center was a secret government facility, inviting possible attack from conspiratorialists."
Charles Straub, Traficant's spokesman, said today that Roll Call is interested in selling newspapers and "anything that has Congressman Traficant in it is an immediate eye-catcher. They pull him into any story."
Several articles: The newspaper wrote two articles about Traficant's radio appearance last week. Also in today's edition, there is a story that says Traficant may be an important player in the race for Democratic minority whip.
"I can't believe they gave him three columns on [the whip] story," Straub said. "This story could have been a lot shorter if they didn't focus on my boss. Jim hasn't given this issue any thought. It's not on his radar screen. Their angle is to try to find some controversy with him. They're making a mountain out of a molehill."
Traficant was indicted May 4 on 10 felony counts including bribery, racketeering and tax evasion.
In calling for Congress to consider reprimanding or censuring Traficant, Roll Call quoted a House rule requiring members to "conduct themselves 'at all times in a manner that shall reflect creditably on the House.' It's about time the rule was enforced."
skolnick@vindy.com