Ethics Panel Named to Investigate Traficant
Lawmakers were selected to conduct an inquiry into whether Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. (D-Ohio), convicted of federal bribery and tax evasion charges, should be disciplined by the House.
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) will chair the panel, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) will be the leading Democrat. Reps. Roger F. Wicker (R-Miss.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.) also will serve on the panel.
Traficant’s chief of staff, Charlie Straub, said the nine-term lawmaker would have no comment.
An automatic disciplinary inquiry by the House ethics committee was triggered after the lawmaker was found guilty last week of taking kickbacks and bribes.
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