(CNN) - Former Rep. James Traficant gets to run for his old congressional seat after all.
In early July, the Ohio Democrat - who spent seven years in prison on a bribery and racketeering conviction - fell about 100 names short of the necessary number of signatures needed to launch an independent bid as a candidate in Ohio's 17th congressional district.
But the Mahoning County Board of Elections on Monday night determined that Traficant had secured 11 more petition signatures than he needed to qualify as a candidate. The announcement was reported by local media. The decision followed a summer long battle by Traficant supporters to get the former congressman's name on the ballot.
The required number of signatures needed is 2,154, or one percent of the total votes cast in the district in the 2006 Ohio gubernatorial election.
The former eight-term congressman, who represented Youngstown and its surrounding suburbs, told CNN in March he intended to run as an independent because, "I see the Democrats are completely controlled by foreign interests and big lobbying money - the republicans are too, but the Democrats more so."
The 17th District, the seat Traficant formally held, is currently represented by Rep. Tim Ryan - a 36 year-old former aide to Traficant who is considered to be a rising star in the Democratic Party. After first capturing the seat in 2002, Ryan has won more than three-quarters of the vote in each of his re-elections.
Pharmacist Jim Graham is the Republican nominee.
– CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
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At least this liberal democrat would be an admitted crook. The rest would not admit and are clinging to the only job they can get for dear life. In the private sectorm they would be failures.
Simply amazing and he has the gall to speak of anybody being controlled by foreign interests and lobbying money. I think , if its true, he just wants to get a piece of that pie.
I'd be surprise if he won. I don't doubt that he could get on the ballot though.
I'm a rightwing nut, but... If the law allows him to run, so be it.
Now, if those idiots reelect him, that's a whole nother story.
We as Americans seem to get dumber daily. First to allow a crook like this to run for office and second how scary is it to know that people support him. We really do deserve anything that happens to us. Hell we BEG for it.
Oh dear God, is there no hope for this country? Next, we'll elect him president cause he'll promise hope and change!
Hey Ohio.
Do you ever wonder why every list shows your cities as the worst to live in? Do you ever wonder why King James left Ohio?
Have a look at that picture up there again, and then look in the mirror.
Another felon, dishonest congressman, thumbing his nose in disdain for the American people. At least he'll fit it if he gets elected.
The Dem's are putting their Allstars up this year....Superstars in OH and SC!
Please, Ohio – I'm a Democrat, but this is NOT what we want in Washington. Yes, he's paid his dues and he has the right to run. But with so much corruption and temptation, what's to stop him from doing the same thing again? There's too much temptation. Mr. Trafficant, please don't do this.
This guy won't have to be retrained as a crook if elected. His real crime is that BAD hair do or toupee. Geez.Hopefully, the folks Youngstown will not vote for this crook.
Only in Ohio! If the people in Ohio re-elect this CRIMINAL their as nutty as the people in Arizona for re-electing that republican in name only J.McCain. Both of these democrats must sit around the pool dicussing how to make themselves act like Jesus with our money.
This is ridiculous but at least he is honest about his dishonesty, which is more than can be said for the rest of the scum populating Congress.
Crooks in congress? He's going to fit right in with Maxine Waters and Charlie Rangle. If he could just do something with that hair.
Most criminals cannot even get a job......let alone an elected official....this is just sick.
Give it up, he is a bad rep for Democrats. Ohio can do better, I nominate my school teacher niece in Columbus. 100% better than Traficant.
James Traficant is too honest for the Democrat party.
He is a crook and a liar, but these days you need to be more evil to be a Democrat. He should study what the Chicago lib thugs have been doing.
Wow he'll get to work with all his buddies again that didn't get caught.
Served 7 years in jail for bribery and racketeering. Just the kind of person the Democrats like. I bet he gets elected again. I know he would if he was from Chicago.
only in America....no wait – that's the norm for all 3rd world countries.
hey... two democratic house members could use his knowldge of prison life... randel and waters learn alot from jail bird jim....
How is it that a convicted felon gets the chance to get back into politics? I maybe wrong – but I thought that convicted felons lost the right to vote and to be in politics? It's no wonder we have so many corrupt people in poltics. Somebody created a revolving door for them.
This loon looks just like the typical democrat to me!
Democrats and Republicans controlled by foreign money and BIg Business – and this coming from "one who should know" who is a convicted felon. Maybe he's one of the CIA's confidential informants. Will he rat out the other congressional crooks?
If he gets elected, it will be a sure sign of political corruption at its best.
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. So, don't listen to this crook.
He definitly has the qualifications to be in this administration.
Fellowny Alumni. A group of the old Good Fellas? What Greek letters do they use I wonder?
We all have our warts but only a democrat could have the arrogance to run after a prison stint.
... foreign interests and big lobbying money ...
He's been explicit about the lock the Zionist lobby has on US politics. No doubt a factor in his troubles.
Kudos to him, the perpetual bad hair day notwithstanding.
How is this happening, I thought once convicted you are not allowed to vote, or hold office. What is this, a new law for a few chosen?
Only in America can a white convicted ex-con be encouraged by the "powers that be" to run for congress and represent thousands of law-abiding citizens, while our black President is practically forced to carry his birth cetificate on him and accused of usurping the most investigated and highest office in the land.
My America. What a country!
Yep, let him run, he is the typical liberal demorat. Tax and spend,tries to not pay taxes but loves to spend the tax payers money and is fresh out of prison
Save us from the corrupted felons of the Democratic Party!
This clown may have been Tom Delays daddy,its in the genes.
Great – well at least he is an "open" crook. The rest of them will welcome him with open arms. Since when did this Country stoop so low as to allow a convicted felon to get his name on any type of ballott. He should not even be allowed to run for dog catcher.
Ohio – be wary. Oh yea, I forgot, Boehner is from Ohio. Nevermind. You guys get what you deserve!
It worked for Israel, Netenyahu is a convicted criminal on top of being a war criminal, but...
....Traficant is a crook, and he really should not run, I would not vote for him.
I am blunt and even harsh on Republicans, but I feel the same way about corrupt Democrats (unlike most Republicans, who have no such scruples or conscience).
Traficant was an anti-Semite when in Congress, and I doubt he is less of one now. Perhaps he is simply a self-hating Jew. I mean if a gay Republican can hate gays more than anyone else, what else explains Traficant's obsession with Jews and their exercise of their rights as American citizens to address their concerns to their own elected Members of Congress? I mean, it isn't a sin to actually be effective... not that Traficant has anything to worry about. He sucked as an effective Congressman failing to deliver for his own constituents. He was, however, a good friend of the PLO when they were still a terrorist organization. When people like Traficant, Bachman, Beck and other think that the small delusional crowd that surrounds them lofting praises upon them are representative of the population as a whole, we have a problem. These nuts from the left and the right have no place in American politics. SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP TRAFICANT!
How is he any different than some of the others still in Congress?
I can't believe how much nerve a Democrat can have, and still expect to be elected.....again! Stupidity at it's finest.
What an imbecile.