Senate Candidate 5, now known as U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., said after digesting the criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, he’s “not surprised” by the statements made by the governor during taped conversations, and emphatica
Senate Candidate 5, now known as U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., said after digesting the criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, he’s “not surprised” by the statements made by the governor during taped conversations and emphatically denied he or anyone close to him was involved in the corruption scheme. Jackson and Blagojevich met for the first time Monday in the last four years. The 90-minute meeting, Jackson said, was for him to express his interest in the Senate seat vacated by President-Elect Barack Obama and list his qualifications. But after the charges were brought forth and he had a chance to read the 76-page complaint, Jackson realized he “had no chance.” The governor was pitting one candidate against the other, “trying to exact something in the process,” he said to the local Fox news station. When asked if, after reading the affidavit, he felt Blagojevich tried to shake him down, he said, “Yes” and added that he wasn’t surprised. “That’s Gov. Rod Blagojevich,” Jackson said. He said he is still interested in the vacancy and “maintain the hope that the people of the state of Illinois would have me,” but wouldn’t have accepted the appointment under the circumstances presented in the criminal complaint. State legislators will hold a special session on Monday to address stripping Blagojevich of his powers. Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan filed a motion in the Illinois Supreme Court Friday to have Blagojevich temporarily removed from office and have Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn step in. Jackson also denounced the notion that anyone close to him offered to broker a deal with the governor on his behalf for the Senate seat. “I’m confident that no one on my behalf made a single offer or anything,” he said, referring to speculation that his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., or his brother Jonathan Jackson, went behind his back to arrange for his appointment to the seat. Jonathan Jackson attended a fundraiser for the governor last week held for an Oak Brook-based businessman, Raghuveer Nayak, who is also an associate of the Jackson family. According to the Chicago Tribune, Nayak said at that event that he and an aide to the governor needed to raise about $1 million in campaign contributions for the Blagojevich in turn for Jackson’s appointment to the Senate vacancy. “They [father and brother] are men of integrity, spiritual leaders,” Jackson said, reiterating they were not involved in any “pay-to-play” shenanigans. The governor was arrested by the FBI Tuesday morning and charged with mail and wire fraud and bribery. His chief of staff, John Harris, was also arrested and charged in the corruption scheme. Harris resigned Friday as Blagojevich’s chief of staff. Blagojevich and Harris face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Jackson and his attorney, James Montgomery, are expected to meet with federal prosecutors next week. ______ Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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