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Former U.S. Representative, convicted felon Corrine Brown running for Congress again

By Angela Jacobs, WFTV.com
By Angela Jacobs, WFTV.com

ORLANDO, Fla. — With a stint in prison behind her, former United States Representative and convicted felon Corrine Brown is jumping back into politics.

Federal tax problems halted her 24-year run in Congress back in 2016.

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Now, Brown says she believes she can make a difference in Orlando’s 10th Congressional District after Val Demings’ move to challenge Marco Rubio in the Senate.

“It’s like a calling,” Brown said. “Ministers have a calling. My calling is to serve. I know that I can make a difference.”

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Less than a month after agreeing to a plea on federal tax evasion charges to avoid a second trial, Brown says unfinished business has her gearing up to run for Congress again.

“Washington right now is not a place to train,” Brown said. “We need someone who can hit the ground running, and that’s what I am.”

The 75-year-old Democrat spent nearly a quarter-century in the U.S. House of Representatives before her fraud conviction sent her to prison in 2017.

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Prosecutors say she under-reported thousands of dollars of income and over-reported charitable donations.

Brown served more than two years of a five year sentence before qualifying for humanitarian release during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brown’s plea agreement does not directly bar her from returning to public office.

She says she sees Orlando’s congressional seat as a chance to fill a void using her experience to bring people from both sides of the aisle together.

“I am more than qualified,” Brown said. “I served for over 24 years and I know the area, and I know the need. I love Orlando. The people, they love me, so let’s get it on.”

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Brown will be in Orlando for her first debate Tuesday. There is no probation included in her sentence.

Brown will also continue to receive her pension from her previous time served in Congress.

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Corrine Brown (right) is facing fraud charges in a Jacksonville courtroom. 

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