More Democrat Angst!

Tough Choice: Jesse Jackson Jr. or Sex Offender

Voters on the South Side of Chicago will face an agonizing decision in next year's primary election: re-elect Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. or bring back his predecessor, Democrat sex offender Mel Reynolds.

Reynolds lost his congressional seat in 1995 after he was convicted of sexual misconduct, child pornography, obstruction of justice relating to an affair he had with a minor, bank fraud and lying about misuse of campaign money.

He spent five years in the slammer until Bill Clinton, urged by "spiritual adviser" Jesse Jackson Sr. as well as Jesse Jr., pardoned him.

I guess Mel wants to say thanks!

"He's still listed on the state and city Web sites for sex offenders," the Chicago Sun-Times pointed out today.

"Well, so what?" Reynolds shot back. "And what would you like me to do about that? That is a requirement of the law. What is that going to do to me? How does that affect my life?"

People make sure you aren't alone with their kids?

And what of his criminal record? Ian Stirton, a spokesman for the Federal Election Commission, told the Sun-Times, "I don't think it would be particularly [something] you would want to emphasize in your campaign literature."

No kidding! Er, let me rephrase that.

There's a more detailed treatment here which points out that Jesse also gave Mel a job after Bubba let him out of the slammer. Which puts it in the realm of Urban Legends and leads to Snopes:

Claim: An ex-congressman who had sex with a subordinate won clemency from a president who had sex with a subordinate, then was hired by a clergyman who had sex with a subordinate.

Status: True

It's hard to keep up with all this without a scorecard!