RICHARD KELLY 1924-2005; Lawmaker went to jail in Abscam

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Former U.S. Rep. Richard Kelly, the Republicancongressman caught in the 1980 Abscam corruption scandal, died Mondayat a nursing home in Stevensville, Mont., where he retired. He was81.

The former Orlando-area U.S. representative was one of severalcongressmen convicted of taking bribes from FBI agents posing asfronts for an Arab sheik seeking influence.

Mr. Kelly was convicted of accepting $25,000, but the decision wasoverturned in 1982 after a judge ruled the FBI's persistence amountedto entrapment. A higher court reinstated the conviction in 1984. Mr.Kelly served 13 months in prison.

Before he was elected to Congress in 1974, Mr. Kelly spent 14years as a circuit judge in Pasco and Pinellas counties. He developeda reputation as a maverick in frequent clashes with fellow judges anda group of Dade City lawyers who had long controlled the small-towncourthouse where Mr. Kelly worked.

He survived an impeachment by the Florida House of Representativesin 1963 and an investigation by the Judicial QualificationsCommission in 1968.

Mr. Kelly was elected to Congress in 1974 but defeated in 1980after Abscam.

AP