In district and D.C., some Traficant employees resign

By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- With no legislation coming out of U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr.'s Washington, D.C., office, there is no need for a legislative director.
So Daniel R. Blair, who has served in that capacity since Sept. 1, 1993, recently left Traficant's Washington, D.C., office in a mutual parting of the ways, said Charles Straub, the congressman's spokesman.
"It was a situation where the role that had been created for him, the work for him, had dried up," Straub said.
As legislative director, Blair oversaw the legislative scheduling for Traficant's office as well as worked on amendments to bills. He made about $65,000 annually and was one of Traficant's highest-paid employees.
"We certainly have less" work now, Straub said. "We're not offering amendments because Jim's not here to offer them."
Staying away
Traficant has not participated in a House vote. He stopped coming to Capitol Hill in late January, before the House session heated up, to prepare for his federal corruption trial, which began Feb. 5.
After Traficant's April 11 conviction on 10 felony counts including bribery and racketeering, the House ethics committee, which is investigating him and could recommend his expulsion from Congress, warned Traficant to stay away from Capitol Hill. The Poland Democrat, who is running for re-election as an independent, has abided by that warning.
Because of that, Traficant has not been able to participate in roll call votes, offer bills and amendments, or give his well-known one-minute speeches on the House floor. The congressman has submitted written statements into the Congressional Record giving his version of his corruption trial.
Blair was first hired by Traficant as an intern Jan. 1, 1988. During his 14 years in Traficant's Washington office, he also served as a legislative correspondent and legislative assistant.
"He was one of the senior staff and we were trying to figure out what the roles were going to be during this time," Straub said. "Dan was ready to leave anyway. He had been here for 14 years. That's a long time to be on Capitol Hill. The average stay is like 21/2 years."
Blair could not be reached to comment. Straub expects Blair to take a private-sector job.
With the departure of Blair, Traficant's D.C. office has three full-time employees and two part-timers.
Relocated to Valley
That's because another Washington employee -- Danette R. Palmer, Traficant's district/D.C. liaison -- has relocated to the Youngstown district office.
The relocation was at Palmer's request -- she wanted to move back to the Mahoning Valley -- and was approved by Traficant, said Anthony Traficanti, the congressman's regional director. Her job title remains the same and she has added case work duties to her responsibilities, Traficanti said.
Palmer has worked for the congressman since 1999 and earns $36,900 annually.
She served as Traficant's driver and liaison with his staff during the congressman's bribery and corruption trial. She also sat next to Traficant during the jury selection process and was seen reviewing jury questionnaires.
About a month into the trial, Palmer claimed she was unnerved by an FBI agent who asked about her involvement in the case. She stopped coming to court with Traficant shortly after making that claim. Traficant also unsuccessfully sought to have her testify as his witness about her encounter with the agent.
Closed area office
Also, Traficant recently closed his East Liverpool office after Carrie Davis, a staff representative in that office for about 10 years, left because of health reasons. This is the first time Traficant has not had a Columbiana County district office during the nearly 10 years he has represented that area. There are no plans to reopen that office.
Also, David L. Drummond, a staff representative in the Youngstown office for 14 years, retired.
There are no plans to replace Davis and Drummond, who each made about $41,000 annually.
Traficant's three district offices -- in Youngstown, Niles and Canfield -- employ 13 full-time workers.
skolnick@vindy.com