Marathon Pundit: Ex-con and ex-congressman spotted at inauguration

Mel Reynolds was the predecessor of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL). "Junior" was at the inaugural, and so was Reynolds.

A refresher: Reynolds resigned his seat in 1995 after being found guilty of having sex with a minor. He was later convicted of tax charges. At the request of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton commuted Reynolds tax sentence, and he worked for Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH organization for a while. Ungrateful, Reynolds challenged Junior in an attempt to win back his old seat, the younger Jackson clobbered him.

From Michael Sneed's Chicago Sun-Times column:

Scoopsville: Sneed is told former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds, who served time in a federal prison for sexual misconduct with an underage campaign worker and tax evasion, was spotted in a celeb section near the inaugural stage getting his picture taken with actress Halle Berry!

• • To wit: Jackie Heard, Mayor Daley's press secretary, tells Sneed she was seated next to Berry, whom she described as "not only beautiful, but kind and warmhearted" and even gave her gloves to someone whose hands were suffering from the cold. "She was wonderful."

• • The shocker: Heard, a former Chicago reporter who remembers the Reynolds scandal, was surprised when she spotted Reynolds. "He looked like he had some sort of congressional pass ... although I can't be sure," said Heard. "But he had a camera in his hands and wanted [Halle Berry] to pose for a picture with him! I have to say I was stunned."

More history: Reynolds presence at the inaugural was fitting. His resignation ignited a flurry of political activity. State Sen. Alice Palmer (D-Chicago) anointed Obama has her successor, she ran for the seat Junior eventually won. After her defeat, she tried to get Obama to quite the race for her old state Senate job. Obama said no, and had his campaign staff knock her name off of the ballot.

Had Reynolds kept his pants on and paid his taxes, someone else very well may have been inaugurated yesterday.

H/T to Capitol Fax

Related post:

Momentous special election: 1995 Illinois' 2nd Congressional race

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