An Illinois congressman has said he believes R. Kelly will be "welcomed back" to his hometown of Chicago and has the potential to be "redeemed".
On Monday, September 27, Kelly was found guilty of all nine counts of racketeering and sex trafficking at his federal trial, as reported by The New York Times.
Hot on the heels of the R&B singer's conviction, Rep. Danny Davis has said that Kelly could be given a second chance to start afresh.
Speaking to a TMZ reporter, Davis said of the 'I Believe I Can Fly' hitmaker: "As an artist, one who’s gifted, I think he’ll be welcomed back into Chicago as a person who can be redeemed."
He went on to say: "I’m a big believer in what is called second chances and I actually have a bill that we got passed called The Second Chance Act, which gives individuals the opportunity to be redeemed and to redeem themselves. So, it really will all depend upon him."
When asked by the TMZ reporter what he would say to the disgraced singer if he had the opportunity, the congressman said he would tell him to "try and find peace with the maker and peace with himself and reconcile with the universe for the acts that he may have committed."
Activist and critic Kina Collins has since condemned Davis for appearing to support Kelly.
She tweeted: "This is beyond distasteful to the survivors whose voices were finally heard and have just started going through the healing process right now.
"Where's the list of resources for survivors - the Black girls who have been irreversibly harmed? Where's even the mention of survivors?"
In response to the backlash his comments received, Davis stated to HuffPost on Tuesday, September 28: "Kelly has been accused of criminal acts, gone through a court of law, been convicted and must serve whatever time the court decides."
He then added that he is "a law and order policymaker" and that "women and children must be respected and protected at all times and at all costs."