10th District candidate Trakas blasts Kucinich's attempt to impeach President Bush

CLEVELAND -- In a statement that didn't mince words, former state representative Jim Trakas, who is challenging Congressman Dennis Kucinich for the 10th District seat in November, said Kucinich has "misplaced his priorities" and that Kucinich should be concentrating on solutions to the energy problems.

"On the day his constituents first started paying $4 for a gallon of gasoline, Congressman Kucinich uses his time and efforts for more political games and not trying to solve the real problems in Washington," Trakas said.

The Democratic congressman introduced a resolution to impeach President George Bush, something that even Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said was "off the table" and is not something Congress will even consider.

"Once again, Kucinich shows how out of touch he is with Cleveland and the 10th District," Trakas said. "A meaningless piece of legislation that is going nowhere seems to be the priority of our congressman while the constituents in the 10th District suffer.'

Trakas, a Republican, said Kucinich, who has twice run for President, does not have Northeast Ohio on his mind but higher office.

In 1991, Trakas won the first of two terms on the Independence City Council.

In 1998, Trakas was elected to the 15th, and later renamed the 17th District of the Ohio House of Representatives, where he served four terms; two of which as House Majority Whip.

Kucinich was elected Mayor of Cleveland in 1977.

In addition, Kucinich has served on the Cleveland City Council (1970-75, 1981-82); served as the Clerk of Courts for the Cleveland Municipal Court (1976-77); been an Ohio State Senator (1994-96); and in November 2004, was elected to his fifth term as a Member of the United States House of Representatives (1997-present).