ABC: Jesse Jackson, Jr. Is Senate Candidate #5
by Todd Beeton, Wed Dec 10, 2008 at 07:55:39 AM EST
Looks like Ambinder's hunch may have been right about Jackson.
From ABC News:
Chicago Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., is the anonymous "Senate Candidate No. 5" whose emissaries Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich reportedly offered up to $1 million to name him to the U.S. Senate, federal law enforcement sources tell ABC News. [...]Jackson said this morning he was contacted Tuesday by federal prosecutors in Chicago whom he said "asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process."
Jackson said, "I don't know" when asked whether he was Candidate No. 5, but said he was told "I am not a target of this investigation."
As a reminder, here's the bit from the affidavit that featured Senate Candidate #5:
On Dec. 4, Blagojevich allegedly told an advisor that he might "get some (money) up front, maybe" from Senate Candidate 5, if he named Senate Candidate 5 to the Senate seat, to insure that Senate Candidate 5 kept a promise about raising money for Blagojevich if he ran for re-election. In a recorded conversation on Oct. 31, Blagojevich claimed he was approached by an associate of Senate Candidate 5 as follows: "We were approached to `pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator."
Certainly sounds like a 2-way quid pro quo conversation was had, although it's based on the rantings of a madman and it might be difficult to prove that Jackson was aware of any conversations had with Blago by people who claimed to represent him. For his part, Jackson says:
"It is impossible for someone on my behalf to have a conversation that would suggest any type of quid pro quo or any payments or offers," Jackson told ABC News. "An impossibility to an absolute certainty."
Whether or not any legal action is taken against Jackson, I would guess this is enough to derail his hopes for the seat -- even the appearance of inpropriety and all that -- although if there is a special election, the voters will be in a position to judge that. This is also a potential headache for Obama as Jackson, Jr. was an Obama campaign national co-chair. In the meantime, Obama is doing what he can to distance himself from Blago, today calling for his resignation.
Tags: jesse jail-senckson, Jr., Rod Blagojevich (all tags)
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