REP. MEL REYNOLDS (D), ILLINOIS: Today, as a matter of fact, my office was instructed to send a letter to Speaker Gingrich and to the sergeant at arms announcing -- telling him that I was resigning from Congress, effective October 1.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mel Reynolds has proven tonight what a smooth-talker he is.</s>JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Mel Reynolds got involved with a 16-year-old campaign worker, volunteer, young woman, and then got involved in the business of covering up what had happened. He was ultimately convicted of sexual abuse, sexual assault, child pornography, and then obstruction of justice. And later, after the charges, the state charges had been prosecuted, he was later prosecuted on federal charges of misusing campaign funds. He was convicted on 15 of 16 counts there as well. Reynolds got a 6 1/2 year sentence, and some people have alleged that because he is African-American, he got a much stiffer sentence than others might have. Mel Reynolds, himself, recently wrote to the "Chicago Tribune" and appealed for his own release, saying: The disgrace that has come down on me is enough. A lot of people agree.
CNN 20: Mel Reynolds Resigns, September 1, 1995