Maybe some members of the Federal Bureau of Investigations have watched one or two episodes too many of the Soprano’s, or worse, and more likely, a United States congressman is being set up by elements of the federal government.
Congressman James Traficant, a Democrat from Ohio, has been the subject of a much publicized corruption case involving alleged Mafia ties. The congressman, an outspoken critic of anti-American policies that are designed to foster a world government, may be the victim of a targeted attempt by the executive branch of the federal government to frame him.
At the least, Traficant is the victim of abuses and misconduct by the FBI. Unless the testimony given by Sandy Ferrante, as reported in the American Free Press is not true. Ferrante has been employed at Traficant’s father’s farm for 17 years. She has recently testified that FBI agents had frightened her so much that she had previously testified at the grand jury that indicted Traficant as a result.
Ferrante claims that the FBI played an audiotape of other farm workers talking about a murder plot to kill her. She also claims to have been taken into protective custody after being falsely led to believe by the FBI that Traficant was trying to kill her. Ferrante has since publicly apologized to Traficant and has offered to testify on his behalf.
The essential issue that warrants a congressional investigation is the possibility that a U.S. member of the House of Representatives could be the target of an abuse of power stemming from the FBI, part of the executive branch of government. Like the Roman Emperor putting to death a critical member of the senate, is the executive branch, which gets its power from the president, throwing a vocal member of congress in prison? It all sounds far fetched, but if the FBI persuaded a witness to testify and go into protective custody, why haven’t they levied a charge of conspiracy to commit murder against Traficant?
The rule of law is already crumbling with the erosion of the U.S. Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights, and over the years, the incremental weakening of the legislative branch. However, if the executive branch of government is permitted to punish and dominate members of the legislative, or even the judicial branch of government, then congress is nothing more than fancy window dressing designed to appease the ignorant masses.
The dangers should be apparent. In the future, congressmen will have to consider the possibility of trumped up charges throwing them in prison for voting the wrong way.
Even the judicial branch of government has acted strangely in this case. Traficant is being denied a jury of his peers as the case was moved outside of his district and to the Cleveland area.
Much of the government’s case against the congressman, is centered on claims by one of his staffers, a man named Allen Sinclair, that he was forced to pay a regular $2500 kick back that was taken from his salary. Strangely, Lesley Wells had recently denied an expert witness to testify on Traficant’s behalf with regard to this matter.
Again, according to the American Free Press, a former Secret Service agent that specialized in financial crimes investigated and discovered that every time Sinclair withdrew $2500, the exact amount appeared in his lawyers trust account.
As a county sheriff Traficant acted as his own attorney and defeated similar charges of racketeering and so called Mafia connections, launching him into congress. Now his fate rests in an appeal.
Whether Traficant is the victim of a well orchestrated conspiracy by the executive branch of government, or just feeling the brunt of an overzealous Justice Department still reeling over the embarrassment caused from being whipped by the former county sheriff, one thing is clear, a congressional investigation into the actions of the FBI and the legitimacy of the judicial proceedings of this case, is mandated.
Congress must get to the bottom of this case. It would be acting in its own best interests, and that of the American populace, to ensure that the legislative branch never becomes a hostage to the threat of imprisonment for its legislative actions.