An interesting thing I have noticed here in DC. When I get into a conversation with someone working for the Administration (either in the White House or for a Department) at some social event, at some point in the conversation I hear the following.

Administration Staffer: You know I knew I would have long days when I took this job, but I am working 12-14 hour days every single day. I mean, I am not really complaining, because my boss is putting in the same hours, but I didn’t expect it really.

I am left wondering, is this normal for past administrations? Or is this a unique case? These people have generally worked in Congress and know the long hours there, so it’s not like it’s just some kid straight from college. When I heard it last summer I wasn’t all that surprised, I knew that the Administration was playing catchup and so it made sense. Even as recently though as this week, I heard this comment.

Interesting….not sure what to make of it.

"Why are we proceeding? I have to go to the bathroom!"

Quotes like this are the reason I am following the Traficant trial. Thanks to the AP Wire.

Imagine your the President of Recording Industry at your years biggest celebration event. You get 2 minutes to talk to everyone watching on television. You could talk about the achivements or new opportunities, but instead you only talk about peer to peer services and blame them for for crappy content, bad year of sales, and everything else under the sun. The problem is the artists know better, the consumers are slowly getting to know better and you are starting to resemble a bit of history.

I think we have their attention and they are scared.

Been busy working, yes I do actually work. Traficant trial is on a break, but the coverage continues on...
Readers can submit their opinions and get posted at the Business Journal. Not many posted yet, but I do rather like this one

Since the government has to pay for Mr. Traficant's trip to Florida and there is a scheduled launch at the Cape at that time, maybe they can arrange for Scotty to finally beam him up!

There is also kind of a wrap up story of the trial thus far here.

Mark Gillispie has another article on the trial here Mr. Gillispie has pretty detailed coverage of Robert Bucci testimony from yesterday.

Boat Repairs, Horse Breeding ­- Even a 'Girlfriend' Traficant trial story or Title of the next episode of Sally Jesse Raphel...you be the judge.

The Plain Dealer mentions Tom Sawyer will be running for election, same district as Traficant, the interesting point is it mentions a few other competitors for the seat before Traficant, granted the man will likely be sitting in jail by time of the election in November, but a sitting member of the House should be afforded alittle dignity ahead of a state senator or two. No class Mark Naymik, why would be so disrespectful? You don't want to be starting a donnybrook with JimmyT.

At least Craig Webb of the Beacon Journal can give Traficant his due in a similar article the Beacon is running today. Imagine a member running in 60% new district and Mr. Naymik barely mentions Traficant the current holder of the seat, I wonder why he doesn't like JimmyT? (BTW, Good article Mr. Webb)

One last Traficant story this morning, the Beacon Journal has an article on if the Jurors think they can be fair to him. "Traficant, who is representing himself, asked the prospective jurors if the fact that he was once drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers reflected negatively on his character." I will forgive him this which is tough as I am a Brown's fan, but I will do my best ;-) After all nobody is perfect...

Alot of hearsay going on at the Traficant trial, and it is being allowed for now. Rather odd that they would allow it, but then again, I am not a lawyer so don't ask me to explain. Evidently the reasoning is that..

Judge Wells says Bobby's hearsay testimony about O'Nesti is admissible, because there is no question that O'Nesti is unavailable to testify. But unless the government proves DiBlasio is also unavailable (he lives in Florida and is said to be in ill health), hearsay testimony regarding statements he allegedly made will not be heard by the jury.

Judge Wells issued her ruling in favor of admitting the testimony today, although Bobby's testimony about DiBlasio's statements is conditional pending his formal refusal to testify.

As I said I am not a lawyer, but doesn't this implicitly taint the jury?

Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays Traficant from his appointed duties, that's right folks he's running for re-election. Come on you didn't think 10 federal charges would slow him down now did you? The story also has segments of Traficant's cross examination of his former office manager.

Busy day, so I haven't posted much on Traficant, not for a lack of stories, just the opposite actually too many of the stories and I haven't had a chance to review them all.
Yahoo has the following from yesterday
Former Traficant Staffer Testifies
Aide Tells of Kickbacks to Ohio Congressman
Traficant Denies Taking Bribes this one was a shocker...
And the Post has resumed coverage as well.

And then from today we have a number of stories...
These stories interest me, was it paid or gave? because if he gave that implies a voluntary sense to it, but if he paid, that seems to have a more manditory term.
Traficant Witness: I Paid Kickbacks
Traficant Witness: I Gave Kickbacks

Traficant Says He's a Victim As He Opens Own Defense from the Post, but the article goes on to say "The flamboyant Traficant, a renegade lawmaker" Renegade?

The Traficant trial started a term heading for the rubbish bin of the English language to come back from the dead, "donnybrook" is mentioned in this article on Chris Shays. I smell meme!

The New York Times has the campaign finance vote from last night, evidently Traficant missed the vote, I can't imagine where he was, if anyone has an idea let me know... ;-)
They also cover the testimony during the trial.

The Beacon Journal, is starting to become the Bear Droppings official trial source, has a great article let's listen in...

Traficant told jurors that the government claim that he was in ``cahoots'' with a shady Youngstown grocer was ridiculous.

``The man is suing me. Beam me up if I'm in cahoots with a man who is suing me,'' said Traficant, using the Star Trek reference he often utters in his House speeches. Come on you knew he would get a couple "Beam Me Up"s into the courtroom.

Also the Journal has a few more good quotes in this article
But he compared the trial to a football game and said the game cannot be judged on the first quarter. I still haven't forgiven that he was drafted by the Steelers.
Paul Bray, 41, of Boardman, a Youngstown suburb within Traficant's district, was a courtroom observer who was attracted to the trial by curiosity.

"This morning I had an open mind," he said. "But after I saw what they did to him this afternoon, he is getting railroaded here. He was getting cut off, there were times when the judge would stop him even if the government hadn't objected. They should let him speak and ask questions." Yeah, let the man speak!

From the Plain Dealer - Traficant ex-attorney tells court he torched evidence of kickbacks
You know if I was a lawyer, I might consider burning evidence a crime or something...

And I end tonight's coverage with a great interview and story, not by Channel 5 but by WKYC this time, go check it out. I haven't checked for any stories since lunch time, I am sure there will be some additional stories out there.

This morning in the NY Times there is a good Op-Ed piece on a Marshall Plan for the Middle East in the wake of September 11th. Right after those events I had a similar thought, but after thinking about it for a while it's an extremely tough concept to sell. Why, for the following reasons...

1- Americans will be too short sighted in expectations of such a program and demand an immediate affect, something that would likely take 10-30 years with any such program. 2- America if it handled the plan poorly would be accused of Colonialism, which given past history of the region, it's not surprising people would have such a reaction. 3- Government officials would get reemed by the press by any funding it did not like the spending on or was wasted. That brings us back to control of the money, which smacks of Colonialism...(like helping Russia after the Wall fell, alot of the money went to the Oligrachy)

At the end of the day it's a tough sell and a complex one, things that never bode well for DC politics, I think Powell has the ability to sell it, if he really wants to, but his attention is focused on other matters at the moment. While an aid program serves our long term interest I suspect the chances of that happening are slim and none.

Moving Day?

DC based news has dried up on Traficant, but luckily for us Ohio papers continue to cover the case....

If you hadn't noticed the Traficant trial has started in full-swing, stay tuned to Bear Droppings for all the latest coverage. This morning articles though are basically the same material repeated. Interesting the Judge said he didn't want a "donnybrook", a term Traficant used in his last trial. I wasn't famaliar with it, so here is a definition.

Main Entry: don·ny·brook
Pronunciation: 'dä-nE-"bruk
Function: noun
Usage: often capitalized
Etymology: Donnybrook Fair, annual Irish event known for its brawls
Date: 1852
1 : FREE-FOR-ALL, BRAWL
2 : a usually public quarrel or dispute
(Thanks Merriam-Webster)

Articles

Traficant Defending Himself in Court (AP)
Lawmaker Is Cautioned on Trial Behavior (NY Times)
Traficant Plays Role of Underdog (Beacon Journal)
Judge warns Traficant: You behave' (The Plain Dealer)
and lastly an interesting profile from Feb. 3 in the Washinton Post

Remember ''Donnybrook" our word for the day ;-) (I'm hoping it does turn into a donnybrook, that way it's all the more interesting.)