Former Rep. Mel Reynolds (D-IL) blamed the Chicago media for its “double standard” against him and misreporting a bizarre story of espionage, Zimbabwe jailing and charges of filming pornographic videos while also cutting business deals in the country.
“Why is there a double standard when it comes to Mel Reynolds?” the former congressman asked at a press conference on Wednesday according to The Chicago Tribune.
Reynolds was arrested in Zimbabwe in February and eventually pleaded guilty to staying in the country on a visa that had expired.
Reynolds was arrested in the country for a number of charges including shooting porn videos and taking pornographic photographs with professional models. The porn charges were eventually dropped. Reynolds said that those charges were meant to discredit him and told the Associated Press that his life was in danger. While hiding in South Africa Reynolds said that a clandestine death squad wanted to kill him.
Reynolds, in his rambling speech, said he was actually arrested because of information he had on dealings between officials from the United States and officials from Zimbabwe.
“They arrested me because they wanted to stop me from spying,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds also suggested at the conference that he hoped to be done with politics for good.
“Am I done with politics?” Reynolds said. “I’d like to be done with politics, but I don’t know.”
