Yesterday, we discussed how voters in Chicago reelected Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. despite his appearance for months without any explanation and criminal investigation into his alleged misuse of campaign funds and alleged effort to buy a Senate seat. While Jackson thanked his voters for keeping him in office and pledged to work for them in Washington, reports now indicate that Jackson has been negotiating a plea bargain on the criminal charges with prosecutors.
Jackson has been out of contact at Mayo Clinic where he is being treated for depression and bipolar disorder.
Jackson is being investigated not only for allegedly using campaign funds to decorate his Washington home but also may have used campaign funds to buy a $40,000 Rolex watch for a female friend.
He is also under ethical investigation for allegedly discussing the payment of campaign money to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich in return for an appointment to the Senate seat vacated by Obama.
Democratic politicians, including President Obama, have refused to call for Jackson’s departure from Congress so not to anger his powerful father. Moreover, his wife holds a seat on the City Council in Chicago as part of a political dynasty for the Jackson family. The family has many critics in Chicago for their amassed wealth and power.
While I am sympathetic with anyone suffering from mental illness and I do believe that such individuals should be allowed to seek treatment without loss of their positions, Jackson’s dismal record began long ago and his constituents have gone without a representative in Congress for many months. If it is true that he has been negotiating a plea bargain while running for reelection (without actually showing up to campaign), those concerns are only magnified.
Source: Sun Times
Nick Spinelli – I’m familiar with the WindBag city but all you have to do is read Mike Royko’s “Boss” about Mayor RIchard J Daley. Unbelievable nasty power politics. It hasn’t changed since his demise and lives now in DC. NYC had Boss Tweed and Boston had it’s (everyone) but Chicago certainly is the best place to watch the demolition derby.
http://tinyurl.com/bn2nu9
Patricparamedic, Not a bad musing. On a similar scenario, I get pissed when I go to postseason baseball games and there are folks there who are CLUELESS about the game. Real fans w/o corporate connections get shut out and Betty Bimbo and Bob Bozo have great seats and don’t even watch. The great owner Bill Veeck tried to remedy this. If you wanted postseason tix you had to keep the stubs from the games you attended during the season and those w/ the most stubs would get the postseason tix. It was a nice thought but impossible to implement. And, I’m sure you know your plan would not pass constitutional muster but it’s a worthy rant. We all need to vent.
Geeba Geeba, Bingo! You must have spent some time in the banana republic of Chicago?
PatricParamedic-
I have been here long enough to know that your intentions and your character are 100% honorable.
But, when I read your post, I instantly recalled the vile practice in the South of tests given only to Black citizens at the polls for the sole purpose of excluding them from exercising their right to vote. As much as we regret stupid or uninformed people voting, it is their Constitutional right. The solution is better teaching of what used to be known as “Civics”, although I don’t hold out much hope for that. If we start to discriminate on the basis of I.Q., where does it end- when the enforcers put on black shirts?
Isn’t it odd that the only people who are tested by the Government on American civics are the much vilified foreigners whose greatest hope is to become an American citizen? Maybe the one test that should be mandatory in High School would be the citizenship test.
IMHO Jesse Jr. was found out a while ago by the Chicago Political Machine – which of course includes all them ghosts and goblins in the White House. Realizing this guy’s alleged misdeeds (and I’m sure at least clinical depression ensued for Jr.) the Machine gave him the same “out” that Micheal Corleone gave to brother-in-law Carlo — that he will be spared but his punishment is that he’s out of the family business. After he fesses up to his sins it’s badda bing time at least politically. The plea deal fix is already in, they have the stundeens to actually let him get re-elected and leak this info out the day after the election, they already did the backroom deal of who will be appointed or anointed to replace him, and so on and so forth. And his constituents will go along with it, the press will forget about it, and the admin will sugar coat it and it’s a non-issue as it was designed to be.
Make sense to anyone?
In considering the number of seemingly unqualified people being reelected, most of whom are black, it may be a race thing. Blacks have been repeatedly misused by the system. White politicians get a pass, Blacks do not. This isn’t necessarily always true, but perceptions count. It could be a circling of the wagons. Like Marion Berry. His arrest was seen as a sting that wouldn’t have happened if he had been white. The relevant Black community didn’t see his take down as a favor, hence he was reelected. To the “man”, “In your face”.
Jackson really could be playing a game, or, he could really be suffering from bi-polar disorder and is having a hard time getting the right meds. It does seem that the white establishment is going to have a hard time taking down a Black man who has achieved.
Sometime last month, I posted an opinion that a wise citizenry would – at some point in our evolution – amend the status quo, to ensure that the electorate be at least marginally qualified to cast votes.
In my view, this could very simply be accomplished by letting the public know, that beginning in say, 2016, while “in the voting booth” or online, for that matter – passing a brief quiz on the basics would be required, in order to proceed to the ballot.
In other words, if a voter cannot discern a general liberal viewpoint on a given issue, as opposed to that of conservative bent; if one cannot recognize the current vice president; if one has literally no concept of the difference between the Senate and the House; if the voter actually believes the Supreme Court was Diana Ross & her singers – then there is assuredly no crime in that.
But for godsake, let’s stop fooling ourselves into thinking “progress” has any real possibility.
The “crime” rather, is a nation stuck in the past; a nation struggling with ever more serious challenges, but steadfastly, foolishly, allowing votes of the ignorant – or the emotionally illogical – to amass valid sway over those with a cogent attention to the issues.
By no stretch of the imagination, do I see it in the best interest of a complex society, to continue to allow millions of votes be cast, by folks with little or no logical basis, for whom they believe ought to be placed in positions of wielding real power, and spending our dollars.
And we have no more pluperfect argument for my take, than Jesse Jackson, part deux, and his appalling reelection.
One fellow’s opinion.
We’ll see what happens. If he gets a misdemeanor he will be “cured” and return to office. If he gets a felony his condition will remain the same. If the US atty doesn’t get what he / she wants and reisists a plea bargain Jr’s condition will “worsen”.
As stated a couple days ago. Will Jr. be reelected from a Federal prison in 2014. This investigation was not a secret. The defense, “I’m bipolar and was self medicating.”
A lot comes out after elections doesn’t it. Sounds like he’s guilty. If he was innocent wouldn’t he defend his reputation to the hilt. Does his wife know about the rolex? How’s his dads love child doing (like father like son)? With leaders like this who needs enemies?
Swarthmore,
Thanks for the age correction.
If the guy is guilty of something then he will go and should go, but until we have a guilty verdict isn’t it unamerican to force him to give up his position that he won? I don’t doubt that he might be dirty, but the Feds are working on it and we will get either a plea or a trial. If he is truly mentally ill, then should we be calling for his removal without a guilty plea or a judicial determination of guilty?
BiFocal, We are talking about Jess Jackson Jr. He is 47.
Jesse Jackson is older than 65. That photo of him was before the March on Washington.
TruthBTold, OK, he’s older than you; but you never posted a picture of you.
What age is he older than?
BusterCherry:
who did you buy your seat from? 5 dollars seems like a good deal. I have been to DC many times but have not come across a deal like that.
Now I have met some senators I wouldnt give you $5 dollars for.
That’s one way to keep making more money….. I’d say raking…. But I wouldn’t want to make an inadvertent slur….. 40k for a watch…. I think that said it all….
Can you not find a more recent photo of Jesse Jackson? The guy is older than me.
I left the Willard Hotel in DC and went by the Capitol Building. There was some guy at the curb selling these chairs for five bucks. I asked where he got them and he said from the Senate, that they were Senate Seats. So, I bought one and took it home. Sure enough, some schmucks come to my door out in Chicago where I live and serve me papers with some criminal offense in federal court that says in the small print that I tried to buy a Senate Seat. I will be in federal court on the same docket as this Jesse guy. I hope he just tells the truth and can identify or describe the same guy that sold me the damn seat. That way there will be some support and truth to be told for what I say. If he cuts a deal then I am screwed. I told them feds who busted me that they could have the seat back and they took it. So now if I go to Washington DC to the Capital or Capitol Building (which is it JT?) then I have to stand in the Gallery and look at paintings.
That phrase “reports now indicate” and “sources indicate” are words of caution.
The Governor of Illinois would appoint a replacement if Jackson resigned, or yikes, another election.
Sometimes people really do get the representation they deserve. If he is who they voted for, then I can’t see them complaining about anything.