Note in this item the name JJ Cafaro is not mentioned once but he has turned canary and will sing for the Feds with hope he will keep out of prison. Twice in my entire life, have I heard the name Klingle Park - once the maybe yet to be deciphered message on Chandra Levy's lap top computer, and the second time - JJ Cafaro's daughter went to the school where he donated $500,000 for a gynmnasium - they used Klingle Park Mansion for parking lot? Now Cafaro gives big bucks to democrats for he does not want to go to jail for bribery......he attended the Hollywood Barbara Streisand affair but he also gave some money to Republicans - so he will sing, to try to keep out of jail and will try to send Traficant to slammer?\ These people are sleaze - nice story here on Traficant but that Klingle Park connection is somewhat puzzling - lots of construction work going on. Jim Traficant knows where a lot of bodies are buried no doubt, but then so does JJ Cafaro who is on the contributors list for Democrats in Ohio - who is on same list as Wexner, as one of the big time jewish contributors..... Wexner's stock falling again - and his ships in the night may be faltering. Saba � [from American Atheist News, 24 February] � BIBLE-BANGING CONGRESSMAN UNDER PROBE FOR TAX, ETHICS ���������� VIOLATIONS: MOB NAMES SURFACE AGAIN � � Check out the voting record of Rep.� James Traficant (D-Ohio) on most First Amendment issues, and you'll see that the colorful and combative congressman usually reflects the "right" side.� Traficant is famous for his one-minute "beam me up" special order speeches which he delivers at the opening of House business, where he blasts scientists who question the existence of God, criticizes the separation of church and state, and calls for prayer and display of the Ten Commandments in public schools.� Traficant is also quick to criticize what he says is a breakdown in public morality. � � "A Congress that allows God to be banned from our schools while our schools can teach about cults, Hitler, and even devil worship is wrong, out of touch, and needs some common sense," Traficant thundered in an April 27, 1999 special order speech. � � Criticizing a federal court ruling that overturned a Florida program which allowed clergy to come into the public schools to provide "counseling," Traficant opined on May 13, 1999: � � "These book-smart, street-stupid judges better look in the mirror of a troubled America, because it is clear, students can be counseled by convicts in our schools, not clergy.� Students can read about devil worship, not God.� Students can burn a flag at a school, but cannot say a prayer.� Beam me up! � � "It is time to amend the Constitution of this country and not only bring God back into the schools, but bring God back into our Nation." � � When a 1998 survey indicated that only about 40% of scientists believed in a deity, Traficant again took the floor of Congress to present his informed view: � � "Mr.� Speaker, I have one question for these wise guys to constipate over: How can some thing (sic) come from no thing (sic)? � � "And while they digest that, Mr. Speaker, let me tell it like it is. Put these super-cerebral master debaters in some fox hole with bombs bursting all around them, and I guarantee they will not be praying to Frankenstein. � � "Beam me up here.� My colleagues, all the education in the world is worthless without God and a little bit of common sense..." � � Even more bizarre was Traficant's call for a "chastity chip" on the internet.� In Feb, 1998 Traficant delivered a floor speech and cited the case of a woman who claimed that she had become pregnant due to e-mail. � � "That's right -- pregnant!"� the congressman proclaimed, warning of the risks of "immaculate reception." � � Now, this same representative who has enthusiastically embraced legislation like the Religious Freedom Amendment (school prayer) and the Ten Commandments Defense Act finds himself in a federal probe into his use of a free car provided by a Youngstown, Ohio-area businessman, the gift of another luxury car from a local real estate developer, and other possible improprieties. � � In addition, an AANEWS investigation shows that Traficant's name has surfaced in connection with donations from the wife of a known organized crime figure, who was convicted for his role in a Mahoning County gambling ring. � � Further testimony in that case is now being heard in a Cleveland courtroom where three reputed mobsters are being tried. � � Charges of involvement between the outspoken congressman and organized crime surfaced in 1983 when Traficant was Mahoning County Sheriff, and appeared as a defendant in a federal trial accused of taking $163,000 in bribes during his 1980 campaign for the post.� Those accused of delivering the bag money were mob figures who reportedly wanted to protect area gambling operations. � � Traficant, without benefit of legal training, defended himself with a combative style that was to characterize his future antics on the campaign trail and even at the congressional podium; he managed to portray himself as "good Ol' Jimbo" to the jury, peppered the trial with objections, and was acquitted after convincing jurors that it was he, not the FBI, that was running the investigation. � � Several pieces of evidence from the trial, though, continue to haunt Traficant.� One was a signed affidavit he provided to FBI agents when he was first arrested.� In it, he copped to taking the bribe money in exchange for giving police protection for illegal gambling operations. � � Another was four hours of FBI tapes, including conversations between Traficant and local mob leader Charles "The Crab" Crabbia.� The Sheriff informs "The Crab" that he received $60,000 from a rival mobster family.� After taking $103,000, Charles Crabbia's brother, Orland, tells Traficant: "Good, so now that two-thirds, two-thirds of the pie (for us)." � � Other bizarre information surfaced at the Traficant trial.� A narcotics investigator named Joseph Hudak testified that on four occasions between July, 1982 and March of 1983, Traficant discussed staging phony mob hits to gain sympathy in the press. � � "The sheriff asked me to devise a plan in which I would shoot him.� He wanted to make it look like the mob put a hit on him," Hudak testified. � � According to the House of Crooks web site, despite the acquittal Traficant was convicted in a 1987 civil trial, and signed a confession to the judge.� He reportedly still owes the IRS over $100,000. � � Scuttlebutt about Traficant and the mob didn't end there, however. � � In 1997, Charles O'Nesti, a long time Traficant aide, pleaded guilty to charges of perjury and racketeering conspiracy.� He had been accused of helping reputed mob boss Lenny Stollo attempt to transfer cash to the Mahoning County Sheriff, and shaking down local paving contractors.� O'Nesti was forced to retire from Trafican't office on April 1, 1998. � � That same year, information surfaced about a donation of $300 to Traficant's 1995 reelection campaign from a woman identified as "Ruth Gorono," whose occupation was identified as "Gorono Landscaping" in Hubbard, Ohio.� In fact, "Gorono" is Ruth Garono, wife of Lawrence "Jeep" Garono, indicted in December, 1997 on charges of illegal gambling. � � "The Jeep" ended up convicted for his role in an illegal gambling enterprise tied to convicted mob boss Lenine "Lenny" Strollo.� Local law enforcement officials were also named during testimony for involvement in raids on rival gaming establishment not controlled by the Strollo organization. � � The trial now going on in Cleveland, Ohio focuses on what the Tribune Chronicle newspaper terms "complex layers of crime and corruption connected by one common thread: making money for Strollo..."� Among the revelations made on the stand was Strollo's own admission of Lawrence Garona as what the paper described as a "mob associate." � � When queried about ties to Rep.� Traficant by The Hill (Washington, D.C.) newspaper, Ruth Garono told a reporter "'I don't know anything about it,' then abruptly hung up the phone." � � Traficant's chief of staff, Paul Marcone, told reporters that the contribution came from Garono's personal business account, "Garono Landscaping."� The Hill report mentioned that Traficant was not the target of a federal probe into the activities of Lenine Strollo, although the congressman's aide, Charles O'Nesti, appeared in the story. � � "O'Nesti's ties with Strollo are at issue," noted The Hill.� "O'Nesti is mentioned several times in FBI affidavits accompanying the indictments, according to reports in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Warren Tribune Chronicle." � � According to transcripts and other testimony, Strollo gave O'Nesti $10,000 to deliver to a candidate for the sheriff's office, along with the promise of an additional $10,000. � � Organized crime had become such an issue in Traficant's district, that in September, 1999 candidates were asked by a local paper, The Vindicator, to submit to lie detector tests and be grilled on any possible connections with mobsters.� Traficant refused, although Mahoning County Auditor George Tablack said that he would consider it. A story on CNN reported: "Asked if he thinks Traficant has some ties to organized crime, State Sen.� Robert Hagan said, 'I don't know if there is one now, but I'm suspicious of the congressman's action in the past." � � Now seeking his ninth term representing the Mahoning Valley-based 17th congressional district, Traficant is hanging tough.� At a sportsmen's dinner earlier this week, he responded to questions about the current federal probe by declaring, "If I've done something charge me.� I'm going to answer them myself, without counsel.� But if they charge me with something, they better convict 'cause I'm going to sue their assets big time." � � It was typical Traficant, a mirror of his witty and audacious "beam me up" speeches from the House floor.� There could be trouble ahead, though.� In addition to the federal probe, Traficant faces a tough primary challenge from Sen.� Hagan and Mahoning County Auditor George Tablack.� He still drags out all of the old issues like school prayer, declining morality in America, all of it.� And he defends doing favors for a former Mahoning County sheriff now serving time in prison for being part of a mob-run influence ring. � � Sen. Hagan is hitting Traficant hard. � � "There has been a cornucopia of indictments, all of which seem to point back to the Congressman and his cronies," he told the current issue of Roll Call.� "He can talk about the effects of being Mr. Showman ...� The Congressman, I believe, has a good portion of (the voters) fooled.� I think he is a phony, and I think he has connections to the mob." �
http://www.valleyskeptic.com/bbcongress.html
