Richard Kelly (July 31, 1924 – August 22, 2005) was an American politician from Florida. As a Republican congressman, he was convicted of taking bribes in the 1980 Abscam scandal.
Troubled by accusations of insanity in the 1970s, Kelly allowed himself to be examined by doctors, who declared him sane, allowing him to boast that he was "the only Congressman officially certified as not cuckoo."[5]
He served three terms in the House of Representatives, starting in 1975. He opposed Food Stamps, aid to
the failing Chrysler Corporation and financially troubled New York City.[1] He attributed New York City fiscal crisis to the pay for police and firefighters and aid to poor people: "The unions have forced industry out of the city. The uniformed services are the highest-paid in the U.S. of A. And welfare? City politicians keep jacking up the rates to get the ghetto vote. No doubt about it."[6]
Abscam scandal and later life
In 1980, Kelly was involved in the FBI undercover Abscam scandal and failed to win renomination, losing to Republican Bill McCollum.
Kelly was the only Republican member of the House to vote against the expulsion of fellow Abscam target Michael Myers (D-PA). Myers was expelled by a 376-30 vote on October 2, 1980, the House's first expulsion since 1861.
Kelly was convicted of taking $25,000 in bribes.[7] He claimed he had conducted his own undercover operation and spent part of the money to maintain that cover, but was convicted and served thirteen months of a 6 to 18 month sentence at the federal prison camp at Eglin Air Force Base. During his third term, he also divorced his wife and married his secretary.[5] He was released from a halfway house in 1986.[7][8][9]
^Denis Hamill and Ken Lerer, "The Congressman from Disney World," New York Magazine, January 9, 1979, p.10, cited in Soffer, Jonathan. Ed Koch and the Rebuilding of New York City. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2012., p. 152 (ISBN978-0-231-15032-3)
