Former U.S. Rep. John Jenrette dies at 86

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Former South Carolina Congressman John Jenrette died Friday, according to an online obituary. He was 86.

A native of Horry County, Jenrette represented Myrtle Beach as a Democrat in the Statehouse in the mid-1960′s before running for a seat in the U.S. House in 1972.

After losing that general election, Jenrette ran again and won the U.S. House seat for South Carolina’s 6th District in 1974, which then included parts of the Grand Strand and Pee Dee. He held federal office through 1980.

Jenrette was notably convicted of accepting a $50,000 bribe during the FBI’s Abscam operation. He was sentenced to two years in prison but only served 13 months.

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