Wife Turns Against Former Lawmaker

The wife of ex-Rep. Mel Reynolds of Chicago, who stood by him despite his affair with a 16-year-old girl, turned against him, saying he had abused her repeatedly and forced her to help him cheat the government. Marisol Reynolds had pleaded not guilty to charges that she and her husband lied to obtain a mortgage, used campaign donations for personal use and lied to the Federal Election Commission. But she then abandoned that strategy, pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government and saying she will help authorities prosecute the father of her three children. In return, prosecutors agreed to drop all but one charge and recommend probation. Mel Reynolds has pleaded not guilty to bank and wire fraud and making false statements.