Hagan: If Libby's free, why not Traficant, too?

State Rep. Bob Hagan, a Democrat from Youngstown, asked President Bush today to commute the prison time remaining on the eight-year sentence of former U.S. Congressman James A. Traficant Jr., in light of Bush’s recent commutation of convicted former White House aide Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

“If the President is going to coddle criminals in his Administration because he believes they have suffered enough, the least he can do is apply equal justice and release all of those whose crimes had far less impact on the public good than Libby’s,” Hagan said in a press statement.

Traficant, 66, was sent to prison in August 2002 for bribery, racketeering and corruption. With credit for good behavior, he's due to be released from prison in 2009, followed by three years of probation. His fans operate a web site here. And his prison artwork can be found here.

The nine-term Ohio representative became only the second member of Congress kicked out since the Civil War after his House colleagues voted 420-1 to expel him.

Hagan, who ran against Traficant in 2001, said Libby’s actions had more serious consequences than anything the former Youngstown congressman did.

“Libby lied to the FBI and a grand jury about the Valerie Plame cover-up, which undermined the nation’s intelligence operations,” Hagan said. “Add to that his role as Vice President Cheney’s chief of staff in promoting false reasons for going to war in Iraq – and it all outweighs anything Mr. Traficant has done.

“Libby is the first sitting White House official to be indicted in 130 years, and yet he walks away without paying his deserved debt to society.”

Hagan also expressed surprise in what he called "the President’s sudden fit of compassion. . .Is this the same Mr. Bush who touted his record in executing criminals in Texas?”

Hagan sent a letter to Bush, seeking the commutation of Traficant’s sentence.