Feds turn up the heat on Jackson Jr.
SENATE SEAT | Justice Dept. takes sole control of ethics probe
Federal authorities have asked a congressional ethics committee to temporarily back off its probe of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., fearing it would interfere with an ongoing investigation.
The Office of Congressional Ethics revealed Wednesday it was probing whether Jackson improperly used his congressional staff to wage a political campaign for appointment to the U.S. Senate. At the time, then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was in charge of naming a successor to President Obama's vacant Senate seat.
(Brian Jackson/Sun-Times)
The Chicago Sun-Times has learned that the work of the committee began to overlap with that of federal investigators.
Federal authorities are probing whether Jackson's congressional staff had authored letters of support for Jackson, then distributed those letters to different interest groups. The groups then are alleged to have put their organization names and signatures on the letters and sent them to Blagojevich.
The ethics office said Wednesday it was investigating whether Jackson used public resources -- in the form of his Chicago and Washington, D.C., staffs -- to vie for the appointment.
"Rep. Jackson may have violated federal law and House rules concerning the proper use of the member's representational allowance," the panel indicated.
Jackson has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged. Last December, he was revealed to be Candidate 5 in Blagojevich's criminal complaint. Federal authorities say Jackson representatives promised Blagojevich $1.5 million in campaign contributions in exchange for the appointment.
"As I've said from the beginning, I have done nothing wrong, nor have I been accused of doing anything wrong. While the Blagojevich investigation goes on, I will continue to cooperate fully with the ongoing probe," Jackson said Wednesday. "Everyone knew that I was interested in the Senate appointment. I was deeply honored and humbled to receive the support of public officials, organizations and citizens from across the state. My efforts and actions were all public, ethical and legal."
The move is an ominous sign for Jackson because it's viewed as a deeper entanglement with the federal investigation, congressional sources said Wednesday.
The U.S. Justice Department deliberated for days over whether it should relay its request to the ethics committee, thus making it public, sources say.
In April, the Sun-Times reported that investigators had stepped up their probe into Jackson's interactions with the Blagojevich camp. Jackson himself was interviewed by authorities. And witnesses -- as well as possible evidence in that part of the alleged scheme -- were subpoenaed by a federal grand jury. The Sun-Times also has reported that two businessmen allegedly approached the Blagojevich camp with the promise of $5 million from Jackson in exchange for the appointment.
Meanwhile, Jackson's wife, Ald. Sandi Jackson, presented her credentials to the Cook County Democratic Central Committee last Friday, asking committeemen to slate her as their candidate for lieutenant governor of Illinois.
Contributing: Abdon M. Pallasch, AP