Jenrette may be known for scandal, but one MB councilman wants to honor his record

He’s known for his scandal, but Myrtle Beach city councilman Randal Wallace wants to remember former 6th District Democratic congressman John Jenrette for the good he did during his 10 years in office.

“You end up having them stuck with their lowest moment instead of all the other good things that they did,” Wallace said. “You know, everyone deserves to be remembered for their life in total. It’s time to look at everything that he did, and that record’s pretty impressive.”

Now, Wallace hopes to place a historical marker in Valor Park or have a day that honors Jenrette.

“I had one bad mistake that took me away,” Jenrette said. “I’ve tried to make everything back clear. I would like to have some sort of legacy, and I was tickled when Randal mentioned that. I’ve enjoyed politics all my life, and I’ve been blessed.”

Jenrette was in office from 1975 to 1980, when he was indicted after an FBI sting caught him on video saying, “I’ve got larceny in my blood.” Later, a federal jury convicted him of accepting a $50,000 bribe, causing him to spend 13 months in prison.

When he took the stand, he denied the allegations, stating that he was drunk when the payoff was discussed with an undercover agent who posed as a representative from a made-up Arab sheik.

However, Wallace wants to focus on the good that Jenrette did while he was in office stating, “During those 10 years or so, he was almost vice president of the United States.”

During his time in office, Jenrette worked to save the A-10 airplanes at the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, which also initially helped save the base itself after the planes became “instrumental” in the Gulf wars.

Wallace said that Jenrette also helped him over the years to implement programs and to give advice on topics that were up for discussion at city council meetings.

“Over the years, he had given me advice, really kind of just out of the blue,” Wallace said. “And I always appreciated that. He quietly did what he was doing with me, I think, with a lot of people. You know, giving them advice, giving them programs that would help the city.

“So, I think, I hate for anybody that’s done that much work for a region that he did as a congressman, and then they come back and they quietly help so many people with different things.”

Jenrette grew up along the Grand Strand, and continues to live in Myrtle Beach today.

“I’m hoping that if we do something that might catch on in some other areas of the district because I had people tell me,” Wallace said. “I appreciate that he was still beloved 40 years after leaving office. That’s a testament to doing your job well. I think, despite being indicted and all the trouble he was in when he did lose, he still was barely beaten. So that speaks volumes for how well he did his job.”

Wallace has mentioned the project at a city council meeting, but it is not clear how council members will vote.

The State staff writers Cassie Cope and John Monk contributed to this report.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Jenrette may be known for scandal, but one MB councilman wants to honor his record."