The guy before Mel Reynolds was a real cutey pie too. Gus Savage (D), in office 1981-1993.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gus_Savagehttp://www.congressionalbadboys.com/Savage.htmHe attacked a peace corps worker in Zaire (I think he thought she was a native, not a US citizen). He is very anti-white and anti-semitic to boot. Blamed the Jews for his loss to Reynolds (funny he doesn't look Jewish). He lost more due to redistricting which put most of his district in the suburbs (which later became mostly black). I think Democrats even wanted this clown gone.
So Mel did look like an improvement at the time (Rhodes scholar etc).
I must confess that I took a Dem ballet to vote for him the first time in the primary (to help get Savage out). My only election in Illinois, as my folks decided to flee the people's republic of Illinois that summer. Voted for the late Paul Tsongas for prez if I remember right. Of course we got another clown and Rhodes scholar named Bill Clinton instead.
Interestingly enough, I wrote Reynolds about something (don't remember what) when he was in office, and he actually responded with a handwritten note. Never had a congressman that actually responded with a real note like that. Weird.......