Democratic ex-Illinois congressman convicted for third time

The Blogger Laureate of Illinois
in the 2nd congressional district

How does that old expression go? I believe it's goes this way,  "An attorney who defends himself in a case has a fool for a client." Except former Illinois congressman Mel Reynolds, a south suburban Chicago Democrat, never even attended law school. And he decided to roll his dice with a bench trial instead of  depending on a panel of Chicago area jurors, you know, the type of dopes who elect scumbags like Reynolds to Congress and who would be much more likely believe his nonsense than a federal judge.

If an Illinois corruption museum ever opens up there needs to be a wing dedicated to Reynolds.

From WGN-TV:

A judge has convicted former U.S. Rep. Mel Reynolds on charges he failed to file tax returns for income he made while consulting for Chicago businessmen in Africa.

U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman found Reynolds guilty Thursday on four misdemeanor counts. He faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison and a $1 million fine.

The Democratic former Illinois congressman represented himself during his trial in Chicago. He argued the money he was paid was for expenses and didn’t need to be reported to the IRS.

Prosecutors said Reynolds knew he needed to file a tax return itemizing his expenses and income whether or not he profited.

Reynolds defeated his predecessor, Gus "Goofy Gus" Savage in an early 1990s Democratic primary race for Illinois' 2nd congressional district. Savage was a racist and an anti-Semite and whose only accomplishment in Washington was making a complete ass of himself. So Reynolds was viewed as an improvement, but he managed to be ensnared in a sex scandal with a minor. That was conviction one. Conviction two involved bank fraud and misappropriating campaign funds for personal use.

Reynolds' replacement was viewed as an improvement too, although the standards on Chicago's South Side and its Corruption Corridor were pretty low when Jesse Jackson Jr. was elected in the 2nd. He later went to prison for--wait for it--misappropriating campaign funds for personal use. Junior's wife, Sandi, also went to the Big House for her role in the scandal.

Three losers in a row in Illinois' 2nd. So far Robin Kelly, the incumbent in that office, is not embarrassing herself.