Jesse Jackson Jr Signs Plea Deal

After nearly a year long investigation that included a bizarre period during which he was absent from Congress and the campaign trail, former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. has signed a plea deal that is likely to send him to Federal Prison for some time:

It’s been nearly three months since Jesse Jackson Jr. resigned from Congress, but now NBC News confirms that Jackson has signed papers in a plea deal within the past several days.

Jackson’s case is being handled by the US Attorney’s office in Washington DC. While no public announcement is expected today, those with knowledge of the investigation believe the loose ends now deal with Jackson’s wife, former Alderman Sandi Jackson, and whether or not she is ultimately charged.

Under the terms of the deal Jackson signed, he pleads guilty and his fate – as to jail time – would be in the hands of a federal judge, not yet assigned.

He would repay the government hundreds of thousands of dollars – for items like the $40,000 Rolex watch, travel expenses for a woman he described as a “social acquaintance” and furniture purchased for his home.

A corrupt politician in Chicago. How shocking.

FILED UNDER: Congress, Crime, Law and the Courts, US Politics, , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. legion says:

    A corrupt politician in Chicago. How shocking.

    No, a corrupt politician in Chicago who’s actually pleading and looking at a good chance of jail time. That _is_ news. Both sides do _not_ do _this_.

  2. Fiona says:

    A corrupt politician in Chicago. How shocking.

    Yeah, almost as rare as a corrupt politician in Louisiana. Or anywhere else for that matter. Jackson just happened to get caught.

  3. Mike says:

    Jail is a good place for him.

  4. CB says:

    chicago thug politics strike again!! its gotta lead back to obama!

    seriously, as others have said, whats with the chicago fixation? is it just because of the presidents association? because an awful lot of people seem to think that illinois invented machine politics.

  5. Just Me says:

    I think the bigger surprise is that he was actually prosecuted and will be given some prison time.

    Politicians-even the corrupt ones often end up with a get out of jail free card.

  6. Tsar Nicholas says:

    By Chicago standards this isn’t even that corrupt.

    Surprised they went after JJJ. Equally if not more surprised that nobody played the race card. At least not that I’ve heard or read.

    Zero percent surprised that he was reelected during the midst of this fiasco. Politics by pure racial and party identity would have the Framers rolling over in their graves, but alas it’s become so entrenched and endemic it’s now permanent. Sad but true.

    Not sure that prison time makes any real sense. Why have taxpayers feed and house this miscreant? Were I the judge I’d order 100% restitution and I’d issue a draconian money fine against him, but then I’d send him on his way. Honestly, Club Fed is too good for him.

  7. mantis says:

    As a longtime Chicago resident, this whole thing is quite embarrassing.

    @CB:

    seriously, as others have said, whats with the chicago fixation? is it just because of the presidents association? because an awful lot of people seem to think that illinois invented machine politics.

    It’s partly the president’s association, but we also have along tradition of corruption in politics here, even more so that most other places. We didn’t invent machine politics, but it has held an iron grip on this city since the mob days. Four of our state’s last eight governors have ended up in prison.

    I love this place but the fact is we have had, and still have, major corruption problems in our government.

  8. OzarkHillbilly says:

    @Tsar Nicholas:

    Politics by pure racial and party identity would have the Framers rolling over in their graves,

    Were that true, I could hook up a generator to their coffins and produce enuf power for all of Chicago every time you spoke Tsar.

  9. CB says:

    @mantis:

    Hm thanks for the primer. I’m also Jersey born and raised, so maybe that’s why Chicago doesn’t look terribly different to me. Except for the four out of eight stat. That’s nuts!

  10. matt bernius says:

    @mantis:

    We didn’t invent machine politics, but it has held an iron grip on this city since the mob days.

    I’d go even further to say it was perfected in Chicago and continues in a way that is pretty unique (and I say this as someone who lived there for a bit).

    Beyond the mob stuff, there’s eye winking comical FU corruption of everything from the 1900 redirection of the Chicago River to Richard the II’s midnight destruction of Meigs Field in 2003.

    I mean there’s a reason why “Mayor Immanuel” resonated so well.

  11. bill says:

    guess his daddy didn’t teach him well? i wouldn’t be surprised if he was elected to some cushy office when he gets out.

  12. MarkedMan says:

    This is kind of a back handed defense of my hometown, but it really is no surprise that a corrupt Chicago/Illinois politician has gone to jail. They get sent to jail all the time! We’ve even re-elected some while they were in jail.

  13. OzarkHillbilly says:

    @MarkedMan:

    They get sent to jail all the time!

    Yep. In Illinois, at least they get prosecuted. Louisiana, not so much.