Former US Rep. John Jenrette, Jailed in Abscam Scandal, Dies at 86

Former U.S. Representative John Jenrette, who served as a Democrat and was involved in the Abscam bribery scandal during the late 1970s, has died at the age of 86. According to his obituary from Goldfinch Funeral Home in Conway, South Carolina, Jenrette passed away on Friday due to deteriorating health. Though he was known for his crime and escapades due to the Abscam scandal, Jenrette was also renowned for securing federal aid for his mostly rural district, including a new bridge in Georgetown that was built to be tall enough for ships to sail through easily, and aid that extended to tobacco and other types of farmers in the area.

After being elected to the U.S. House in 1974 by defeating the Republican incumbent in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, Jenrette was respected by his Democratic counterparts for his accomplishments and was even being considered for future leadership positions. However, his disruptive and candid public persona led to his eventual downfall.

In the late 1970s, Jenrette and other congressional members were approached by an FBI informant who offered them bribes to help pass immigration bills that would benefit foreigners seeking to run casinos in the United States. This was the first time the FBI had taped politicians taking bribes, which was caught on grainy video. Jenrette, known for his outrageous behavior, is heard saying, “I’ve got larceny in my blood.”

Jenrette admitted that he was drunk when he accepted a $50,000 bribe, and he ultimately served 13 months of a two-year prison sentence after his conviction. He resigned from the U.S. House in 1980, shortly before the end of his term. Despite all the news about his involvement in the bribery scandal, Jenrette narrowly lost re-election.

A book called “Capitol Steps and Missteps: The Wild, Improbable Ride of Congressman John Jenrette” by former aides John Clark and Cookie Miller VanSice chronicled Jenrette’s life, including his productive period after his release from prison. Jenrette went on to help tobacco companies sell cigarettes in Eastern Europe following the fall of communism and even bred horses in Bulgaria. After buying and selling land in Myrtle Beach, he settled down with his third wife Rosemary in a beachfront home.