YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Those wondering if former U.S. Rep. James Traficant Jr. would run for Congress in Ohio after his prison release will have to wait, officials said.
Traficant served 17 years in Congress before his July 2002 expulsion.
Released in 2009 after serving seven years for bribery, racketeering, tax evasion and obstruction of justice, Traficant repeatedly had said he might run for either the 17th or the 6th Congressional District, The Youngstown Vindicator reported.
But he missed Tuesday's deadline to file nominating petitions to run in the Democratic or Republican primary for a congressional seat, the newspaper said.
"If he does want to run his only option is as an independent," said Dennis Malloy, Traficant's communications director.
The deadline to file as an independent candidate is May 3, a day before the primary.
