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Subscribe to RSSThe day after former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. was charged with misusing campaign funds, the downfall of the once rising political star has shaken his hometown of Chicago. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports.
Federal officials filed charges Friday against Jesse Jackson Jr. after the former congressman reportedly signed a plea deal for allegedly improperly spending hundreds of thousands in campaign funds.
The paperwork was filed at the U.S District Courthouse in Washington. Jackson, who left the public eye last summer for treatment of bi-polar disorder and resigned from office in November, is not expected to make an appearance, but he offered a response in his first statement to the public in months.
Read the full indictment here in PDF
“Over the course of my life I have come to realize that none of us are immune from our share of shortcomings and human frailties," Jackson said in the statement released by the attorneys representing him in the federal probe.
"Still I offer no excuses for my conduct and I fully accept my responsibility for the improper decisions and mistakes I have made," he said. "To that end I want to offer my sincerest apologies to my family, my friends and all of my supporters for my errors in judgment and while my journey is not yet complete, it is my hope that I am remembered for the things that I did right.”
Among the items that Jackson is accused of purchasing with campaign funds:
- $10,000 worth of Bruce Lee Memorabilia.
- More than $20,000 in Michael Jackson memborabilia.
- Martin Luther King Memorabilia.
- Fur coats and capes and more.
NBCChicago reported last week that Jackson will plead guilty as part of his plea deal, and jail time would be in the hands of a federal judge who has not yet been assigned. Converting campaign contributions for personal use is strictly prohibited by federal law and opens Jackson up to “not more than 5 years” in prison.
Prosecutors will recommend a prison sentence for between 46 and 57 months plus fines, according to reports.
On Friday federal prosecutors charged the former congressman with misusing $750,000 in campaign funds. He is accused of purchasing several personal items including Michael Jackson memorabilia. NBC's Lester Holt reports.
Jackson's wife, former Chicago Ald. Sandi Jackson, has also been charged with falsifying her tax returns and reporting less income than she made.
Read the Sandi Jackson indictment here in PDF
Sandi Jackson has pleaded guilty to the tax offense, according to her attorney Tom Kirsch. The single charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 3 years, but Kirsh said the plea agreement calls for significantly less time.
"Today, Sandi Jackson reached an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to plead guilty to one count of tax fraud," reads a statement from her attorneys. "Ms. Jackson has accepted responsibility for her conduct, is deeply sorry for her actions, and looks forward to putting this matter behind her and her family. She is thankful for the support of her family and friends during this very difficult time."
Per the reported plea deal for Jackson Jr., he must repay the government hundreds of thousands of dollars for items such as a $40,000 Rolex watch, travel expenses for a woman he described as a “social acquaintance” and furniture purchased for his home.
Related coverage from NBCChicago
- Jesse Jackson Jr. signs plea deal In federal probe
- Comparing the Jackson families
- Candidates to Replace Jesse Jackson Jr.
Sandi Jackson resigned last month from her elected position as Chicago’s 7th Ward alderman. For years she received a $5,000 a month check from her husband as his political consultant.
Jackson Jr., the son of famous civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, has been the subject of a federal investigation into potential misuse of campaign funds since around the time he left office to seek medical treatment on June 10, 2012.
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I have a dream.
That one day, my children and their children will be given the opportunity to succeed. That my granddaughters will not languish in jail without cause – where police officers fabricated charges against them to defame their good names and suppress evidence or keep them from influencing the public.
I have a dream.
That one day women will rise to be regarded as equals to the men in this nation. That they can sit at the counter of diners and be respected and not solicited for prostitution. That Supreme Court justices once again defend the Equal Protection clause of the fourteenth amendment.
I have a dream.
That one day black men will be regarded as equal to Caucasian women and not usually shown favor above them, as though Caucasian females were 2nd class citizens.
My grandchildren deserve on this day to see their grandmother fulfill her dream to become a United States Supreme Court Justice and serve this nation in her best skill in law.
My sons that served honorably in the United States military deserve to see their mother not hauled and yanked by the arms, beaten, brutalized and crushed by lawless police officers, but afforded opportunity to finally achieve security for her family that she has always endeavored for, and her mother before her – to enjoy peace and impressiveness and security – refuge - and all things that most Americans attain – to be treated uniformly with respect in the Courts – and be viewed as something more than an animal in shackles hunted down by the very same badge-bearers.
The American dream has never been shown to my New England from Scotland that labored for generations with trifling wages for persons that enjoyed causing this against them, but whose pedigree traces to Buckingham Palace through the Stewart lineage.
I have a dream.
To be treated as an equal in the United States that has knowingly deprived this from my family. So that others of my race and religion or sexual orientation will never see the same harm done as has been carried out by public officials that disrespected and discriminated so severely against my humble, quiet, and peaceful mother and grandparents. What a shock to the conscience of a nation. Where a family has been so horrifically despised that its country would rather see all of them dead and forgotten than to permit even the most microscopic testimony of their American life.
I have a dream.
That equality will manifest in near unfaultable form, for all that require it.
abe had a dream to now its a nightmare
When will he be on OPRAH?
When does his book come out?
Blacks who voted for Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Jr. because they were a Bro & a Sister will learn a valuable lesson from this that they always demand that whites should learn: "You shouldn't judge a man (or woman) by the color of their skin"
Steven, I believe that Martin Luther King said he ( and all blacks) wanted to be judged not by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character.
Obviously, the voters in Chicago have no character because they re-elected this criminal even though the charges and evidence were overwhelming. Further proof that the majority isn't always right (how about Hitler?) and that people only vote for their pocketbooks, not any sense of integrity, truth, or common sense. That's how we ended up with Obama twice, and how we get idiots like Pelosi and Reid time after time. Hence, the decline of our country.
Now where is the famous Daddy who loves to show up just about anywhere for the publicity? Could it be this one is too close to home? hmmmm?
daddy's tryin to figure how to hide his share
Surprised this news would make this site - NBC must be trying to throw a story nugget to show they aren't completely biased as we know they are. Probably concerned about the growing suggestion they are Obama and the liberal agenda's media outlet.
I just got in. Did anyone say it's 'cause he's black, yet?
A crooked politician from Illinois? Now I've seen everything!!!!
Justis4U - can you summarize that rant? Yaaaawn.
no black talk i'm part black my palms and the bottom of my feet are white
This is what change looks like. Socialist freaks that use and abuse people and society by using government powers. Al Gore sells a propaganda outlet to big oil and idiots just stick to the lies hand fed to them. Obama keeps selling class warfare that in the end enslaves liberals in DEBT and government power. Hitler gained power by socialist policy offering a government program for ever aspect of life. Cant tell a liberal they are really just a idiot Nazi, only race is thought of in context of what a Nazi state is.
Sad that Jesse's son was a crook not to mention his wife,,,, they'll get a slap on the wrist and be on their merry way. Buckwheat will pardon them, so they got no worries mate.
all people who become politicans turn out to be crooks its in their blood ripping us off doesn`t matter what party there in either. theres very few honest ones thats why you never hear of them they are made to keep quiet or else.
Hey...where is "feistyredhead"? She's usually the first on this vine when it's a republican issue. Hypocritical leftwingnut loser.
I wonder how much money jj sr. and how much of that money went to the OTHER Chicago crook..gov. blago to keep him quiet about jj. jr being the scum sucking pig trying to by obozo's senate seat. LM MO AO!
Hey Nancy "spew-losi"...I guess that pump you were using to clean up the dirty swamp sucked up a couple of your own cohorts..I am laughing some more...and BTW, anyone readthe article about skanky pelosi contesting the idea of not getting paid if they don't pass a budget? She and her husband are worth well over $25MILLION...1%ers, right? But she believes it's below their dignity not to get paid even thought they're not doing their f'n jobs! What an absolute, worthless, lying, scum bag, POS political prostitute.
yea slide, I guess she'll have to wait for sequestration to take place in order to find out how much her pay's gonna get cut...
What goes around comes around. She's a brainless, hypocritical poster child for the progressive Dems.
Slide6, I too posted warlier about them on #316
Amazing, not a single comment from those two liberal morons Feisty and the Pig. Hey, I bet if it was a member of the GOP taking a drink of water one, probably both of you would make asinine comments.
#316 - Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:36 PM PST.
JimO; Fiesty, the Pig and Ed probably voted for Junior, and they're PROUD of it! They have ZERO moral values, they voted for Obama, didn't they?
You know they voted for them both, and you made a very true statement concerning their moral values.
Yeah, There is no money in it for them! The DNC only pays them to pile on Republican issues. They are as crooked as the liberal politicians they work for. And they probably are not aloud to have independent thought!!
Call me a racist! I don't care. These people for the most part, rise to a position of prominance, in a position of power and being able to CONTRIBUTE to our country, and what do they do??? THEY STEAL! They Do exactly what this man did - like father, like son! I am sick of this entire thing of the poor blacks being held back - give them a chance, and what do they do - they steal and milk the public for all they can get! Throw the book at him - regardless of what his name is. Jesse Jackson - what a blight on humanity! He, as others like him, have done more to HOLD DOWN his own race than anyone. These people love to talk about how REPUBLICANS are against them - how RACISTs are against them! They are covering for the theft they are pulling on everyone! THEY milk their race - they prey on their race - in order to put more money in their pockets. I am fed up with the Jesse's, the Al's, and all of the others who would use racism in order to promote their own agenda. Put the kid in jail - he belongs there! I wonder if Frank Sinatra would have recorded his hit record "Chicago" had he known all of this...........but then, we all know the rumors there!
Just love hearing this. Are they going to be able cry foul and blame whitey?
No, Obama will blame Bush...
If they do, and when they do, then you can open your empty brain and say something useful.
I don't give a damn about Jackson, but people like you are so full of hate that you will say anything that might appeal to the ignoramuses like you.
It's not hate it's disgust. Keep crying hate, race and bigotry and the country will continue to fall in ruin. Some times the truth is what it is, the truth, and for some people it hits to close to home. It seems to all ways be the fault of others when in reality it's the person in the mirror. Name calling and crying foul are ways of distraction and division and I see a lot of that in our increasingly faster declining future. It's time wake up America and smell some roses and leave the B.S. rhetoric and propagandise lies behind.
This experiment called liberalism will eventually go the way of disco,it will die. It might take take 4 more years but it will die none the less!!!!!!!!!!!!AMERICA needs some common sense and we're not getting it from libtards.
Like this comes as a big surprise? His daddy taught him well, all except getting caught. Is daddy embarrassed? OH hell no, daddy was hoping the boy would get some jail time so the convicts could finish his education. Both race baiting morons.
I think it's completely impossible that our current president that started his political career in the home of a 60's radical terrorist turned college teacher ? who he never knew along with rev. wright , Blago, Jessie Jackson,Derrick Smith,State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford was never Influenced politically by these honest people that are now in jail ( except rev. Wright & Ayres )
Half of Illinois Governors have gone to jail since the 1970's
There are no problems in IL. they are 8 billion in debt i think that number is correct
there is completely no spending problems In Il. or From the Obama Admin. 16 trillion is a small Number Gay Marriage, Free contraceptives, new health care system is highly more Important than the spending problem we do not have the 14% unemployment among African Americans and the corruption in the 3rd largest city of the united states
really i do not see how obama has anything to do with the corrupt city of chicago where he he ran his fortune 500 business that made millions obama is a smart business man that knows how to take business out of ruins and turn it around like he is doing to our country right now
Jessie jackson is Innocent all those items where gifts someday you will see the truth will come out
This is sadly no surprise. When is America going to wake up and smell the roses and not the B.S.? This is a total dog and pony show with out the pony. This oxygen thief used $750,000 of taxpayers money on personal matters and has the audacity to say" HE HAS MENTAL PROBLEMS". That's got to be the understatement of the new year. For crying out loud, would they just put this thief in jail already so his whiny good for nothing father can claim racism and get him out so he can go back to work for the fine people in Chicago.
Jessie Jackson and all those rich Republicans are no good
thank goodness we have a smart business man that is a democrat in the white house who finally got the unemployment down to 4% after 4 years
Very funny!! Jackson and all his Republican buddies are all crooks!! Where is feisty red? She? would know what to say.
Hmm, while I'm not sure what is meant by "these people" in several posts, I think there is ample evidence that the Congressman's father is not a particularly honest man either. In fact, his leaning toward a looser meaning of "facts" started early in life. He was famously removed from the University of Illinois for plaigerism in a time when the behavior was less rampant than now. So, Jesse Sr. is a liar while Jr. and his spouse are theives. Hopefully, Jr. and Ms. Jr's political careers are toast by now, although ethical standards for politicians are not all that high (as pointed out in other posts).
Well nothing happened to the ex Mayor of San Diego who gambled away taxpayers money sooo. I'm sure nothing will happen to him plus he will get his pension from us etc. etc.
I truly believe that when our appointed officals are guilty of something this serious they should not get their pensions. They should not be above the laws that we have to follow.
You are 100% right Mary, but sadly these clowns don't see it that way.
frank marshall davis
saul alinski
francis fo piven
george soros
anthony van jones
bill ayres
berhadine dorhn
rev wright
blago
jesse jackson jr.
This is the short list of;
obama compatriots, teachers and preachers
all anti-free market capitalist and anti-American Excptional-ism (with maybe the exception of blago???)
all anti-Americans!!!
Wake Up America!!!
Impossible obama was ever influenced by these honest people
Why don't you get your head out of his b utt and do a little research on your own???
sarcasm Gary K although I like your passion
I apologize, I should have caught that but you are right
I am very passionate when it comes to the marxist in the white house!!!
What I find hard to fathom is how Sr. managed to highjack MLK's movement to the democrats and how Sr., Jr., and a few others managed to get hold of MalcomX followers there also.
MLK jr. was a solid republican, MalcomX hated the democrats and the KKK was and still is a democrat group. What is it the majority of blacks don't get today? The party that wants to keep them down they love, the party that wants to help them up they hate, which is exactly opposite of what two of their beloved leaders believed and worked for.
setter, all the blacks today listen to is the lies from the Dems about all the handouts they can get from the govt and how the 'rich' Repubs want to take everything away from them. This applies to the poorer whites and hispanics too. They've all been duped, and they can't see past the lies to the truth that they're being enslaved by a nanny-govt and having their self-determination and economic future taken away in favor of handouts. Its really sad what the Libs have done to the poor in this country, but the poor will fight conservatives tooth-and-nail about these lies.
It's interesting how republicans have their constituents brainwashed. Instead of proposing common sense ideas to problems in our country they choose to blame entire sections of the populace. Many of their constituents buy into it. But the majority of Americans see through it. Also, the republican's politics of fear really only work on the ignorant. Republican politicians seem hell bent on divisiveness. They cannot succeed electorally unless they evolve.
The apple does not fall far from the tree. Probably get a job spitting in food at a Greenville Hotel.
Liberals, especially Chicago liberals like Jackson and Obama, are corrupt.
What else is new.