Traficant to make announcement at Thursday news conference

CANFIELD — Ex-U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr., mulling a political comeback after seven years in federal prison, will announce Thursday something that “will be of significant value to a lot of people,” his communications director said.

Will Traficant declare he’s running for Congress?

“He’ll be talking about Congress,” said Dennis Malloy, Traficant’s communications director. “Congress is one issue. But he said, ‘I’ll have other things to discuss.’”

Malloy said today he doubts Traficant will make an announcement on his political future Thursday. This will be the first press conference the former congressman is having since his Sept. 2 release from prison.

The reason for Malloy’s doubts is Traficant and his advisers are discussing what congressional district — the 17th, represented by U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Niles Democrat; or the 6th, represented by U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson, a St. Clairsville Democrat — he’d run in should he decide to be a candidate.

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