Thursday, May 8, 2008

LIVE FROM THE OAKS

By Sarah Poulton

YOUNGSTOWN — Right at this very moment, The Royal Oaks is celebrating a very special birthday.

Former U.S. Congressman Jim Traficant (D-17) is currently celebrating his 67th birthday from the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y. The local icon was convicted of taking bribes, filing false tax returns, racketeering and forcing his aides to perform chores at his farm in Ohio and on his houseboat in Washington, D.C. in 2002.

The Royal Oaks is celebrating the occasion with various Traficant phrases and speeches, provided by the evening's DJ, Fast Freddie from CD 93.3, Traficant memorabilia and “Jim-on-a-stick” face masks.

John Kennedy, co-owner of The Oaks, says Traficant was a man who was true to his roots. He says Traficant purposely wore bad clothing to represent where he came from.

“We do like, love Traficant,” John Kennedy says. “He was a brilliant man and he was truly a politician to the people. There's a guy who was all about Youngstown first. He fought for Youngstown first and American second.”

His brother, Louie Kennedy, co-owner of The Oaks, says tonight's celebration is tainted with an ulterior motive. He says that when Traficant gets released in September 2009, they want to have his official “coming out” party at his establishment.

“Jim's out-of-jail, back in Youngstown,” Louie Kennedy says. “We would love to have his official coming out party.”

Louie Kennedy says he grew up next to Traficant's brother, Sam Traficant. He says he's known Jim Traficant for years, and has fond memories of the former Congressman.

“The time that he and I were bull-shitting at the Butler Institute of Art,” Louie Kennedy says. “I ran into him and he was pretty much like, 'Dude, what the fuck are we doing here?' He was at an art opening and I was like, 'Let's have a beer.'”

John Brown of Warren says he's at The Oaks tonight because he considers himself a conservative Democrat or a “Traficant Democrat.” He describes Traficant as a true Youngstown man.

“Never saw a taker,” Brown says. “Always a giver. He always said, 'Put your money away. Your money's no good.'”

Brown says Traficant was always helping out his enemies, and he would say, “It's only politics.”

“I call Jim "The last patriot,'” Brown says. “He was taken out by the government because he was actually working for the people.”