Mel Reynolds....employed?

Some may recall that former Illinois Congressman, Mel Reynolds was among the 176 criminals who were pardoned by "Slick Willie" before un-assing the Oval Office. Pardoned for what?, you may ask. Well, lets start with 15 counts of bank fraud and lying to to the Securities and Exchange Commision. He got 78 months in prison for that. But not before, (and here's the best part) he was sentenced to 5 years in prison for....(wait for it)....12 counts of sexual assault (on a 16 year old campaign volunteer), solicitation of child pornography and obstruction of justice!

It was amazing enough that, despite being under indictment for having sex with a 16 year old girl, he would choose to continue his campaign for re-election to The United States House of Representatives. Even more amazingly, and thanks to the judicious vote of his Chicago area constituents, Reynolds was still re-elected to Congress in 1994 before being forced to resign nearly a year later (Congress does have standards, you know...you can't actually BE an inmate and occupy a Congressional seat)! Remarkable, huh? But wait. After Clinton stroked the pen and swung open the prison doors, this pedophile decides, in 2004, that he's going to run for Congress again! Un-freaking-believable!

Well, having been soundly defeated in his post-prison Congressional bid, by Jesse Jackson Jr, one would think that this felon would finally go away. Nope...no such luck. It seems that the good Reverend, Jesse Jackson Sr, had a staff position open on his Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. So, Mr. Reynolds has a job again! Guess what it is! Go on, guess! Come on, you can do it! What would be the most ridiculous and inappropriate post you could think of to assign this criminal? Something with kids, maybe? Oh, yeah...the good Reverend never fails to astound the sensibilities of those of us blessed with at least a nominal dose of common sense. This fella is a YOUTH COUNSELOR!

As remarkable as this is, I'm not confident enough to call this a first in American Politics...but it might just be: An ex-congressman who had sex with a subordinate and lied about it...is pardoned by a President who had sex with a subordinate and lied about it...and is then hired by a clergyman who had sex with a subordinate and lied about it! Man, do they stick together or what? Sexual deviants of the world, unite!