Jesse Jackson Jr: 'I Want My Name Back'

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. said Friday that he was fighting to get "my name back" after he was identified as "Senate Candidate 5" in a criminal complaint against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. says neither he nor any emissaries offered favors in exchange for a Senate appointment.

Jackson, the son of famed civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and a six-term Democratic congressman from Chicago, had publicly sought to succeed President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

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Comments

[jalowe1957]

Jesse, two words famously uttered by FDR should suffice for you: no comment.

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

well it IS the season for giving......i mean who doesn't have "unknown emmissaries", like magical elves, that broker deals and raise $1.5 million dollars on your behalf without you or your family members' knowledge or involvment......and, hey, just because your brother showed up at the event sponsored by his business partner---i mean, "unknown emmisary", that doesn't mean he knew anything about it.......

curious thing, though......i thought 5 candidates were named on the fed tapes.....how come only one of 'em is squawkin' so much?

[45245]

when will the feds start the questioning? that will be funny

[SEQUOIABISON]

I personally think Jr would be the best replacement for Obama's senate seat, but he is acting much too defensive in this scandal, the gentleman doth protest too much me thinks, he should let the dust settle and the facts be revealed before proclaiming his name has been destroyed, it has not, and I am sure when the truth is finally told that Jr will be completely exonerated of any wrong doing, this man has integrity of this I am certain.

[eden4barack08]

"..this man has integrity of this I am certain." Me too.

Too bad we can't say the same for the people that surround him.

[Rachael78]

I hope hope hope that he's innocent. I agree that Fitzgerald blew this. He smeared a lot of people unnecessarily.

[Carolab]

I still say this is tied to Jesse's and Junior's involvement in ACORN, and the GOP's desire to bring that group down.

[likeicare]

I hadn't considered that angle, but it certainly fits. The Neocon(victs) are like cockroaches once they've discovered a breadcrumb at midnight -- mass attack!!!!!!!!!

I hope JJ, Jr. keeps his cool on this one, like he did when his old man made that tacky open-mike comment about cutting off a part of PEBO's anatomy. JJ, Jr. called his father out for the creepy hypocrite only a preacher can be (read: Rev. Ted Haggert, Rev. Pat Robertson, the late Rev. Jerry Falwell, that polygamist nutcase in Texas-guy, the thousands of priests and ex-priest-pedophiles, etc., etc.) -- there's a pattern here -- can anyone see it?

[Harrier]

If Jackson would have not gone on public stage and done the exact same thing his father would do, he might be considered as someone else. He put his name in the hate for both senate seats without living in the states. He should work for his seat rather than have it handed to him.

[zell]

No matter what one may think about Jesse, senior, Junior, as far as I know, has had an exemplary career and deserves as much as anyone else to have a shot at the vacant senate seat in Illinois, Lest we forget, Junior and others in the Congressional Black Caucus showed a lot of courage when they stood in Congress and fought for Al Gore to be president, back in Jan, 2001, even when Al did not fight for the presidency himself. The courage they showed was more than most of us would dare to show. I hope that Jesse Jr. will have an equal chance to either run in a special election or be selected.

[Palmz]

Thank you very much.

[Rachael78]

they did show a lot of courage. I hated when Gore shooed that woman off the stage with his "the rules do care comment". I still resent Gore for that. It was so disrespectful- they were fighting for him and for those disenfranchised voters.

[balatro]

As I'm sure his dad can tell him, it is an uphill battle. Once you are stained with an unhealthy association, it's like being trapped in the La Brea Tar Pits. Even if your able to extricate yourself, the predators are waiting to jump you as you emerge.

[ErikW65]

Huh? If Jesse Jr. is stained by an unhealthy association, it's with his emissary.

[proftye]

Innocent until proven guilty...

[ErikW65]

It's interesting to note that Jesse Jr. appears to be in no legal danger. There is no reason to believe he was aware of the emissary's actions.

But his political reputation? All the pundits are saying he'll never hold that seat now, Now that it looks like his father was trying to buy it for him.

[RButler]

A person is either innocent or guilty in reality but we don't know for sure. So, in the courtroom, he is 'presumed' innocent until proven guilty. And, if he is not found guilty, he is said to be 'not guilty', not 'innocent. Re: Mr. Jackson, we should be saying 'we don't know'. In fact, we should say that about everyone accused of something even Dick Cheney, ugh.

[Palmz]

All who are ready to anoint Fitzgerald the great prosecutor, let me be on record to say he blew the case.

In his rush to snag Blago, he has destroyed an innocent man's name, Jackson's.

Yes, Jackson is innocent. If not he would have been arrested.If not, wonder boy prosecutor is incompetent.

Maybe, wonder boy prosecutor wanted the job for himself or one of his cronies. Why redact names in a criminal complaint and when the speculation started, Jackson's name was the only name leaked and confirmed?

Fitzgerald must make another public statement and give Jackson his name back.

[ErikW65]

JJJr. had an emissary, apparently unbeknownst to him, bargaining illegally for him. The deal from that emissary was the best offer Blago had received, according to the secretly recorded conversations of Blago. If Fitzgerald waited for Jesse Jr. to become senator, before arresting Blago and the emissary, then the process would have been allowed to have been corrupted. Jesse Jr. would hold a seat that was paid for by his father, or whoever the emissary was, and I wonder if he'd even want his name at that point!

[Palmz]

What if the emissary was an undercover federal officer that used Jackson's name knowing he wanted the job and knowing the Governor would take cash (remember they already have him on tape with the hospital deal) ?

What if the emissary was just talking about fund raising? Is fund raising illegal?

Why wasn't Jackson put in cuffs when he left the Governor's office?

The fact is we don't know and the prosecutor needs to set the public mind at ease. Not Jackson.

[trendier]

I think Jr. wanted the seat very badly and he was willing to do anything for it. I hope I'm wrong but he does seem mightly suspecious.

[Palmz]

He made it publicly known that he was the most qualified. He wanted to bring transparency to the process. We all know where the qualified black man's resume always ended up, file 13.

He knew the system was corrupted and i don't blame him. I hope he continues to speak out about his innocence and not be silenced. I have no doubt he would win in a special election.

[TallyLass]

I think he's getting painted with Blago's scandal. Yes he said he wanted it. So. When is it a bad thing to say I'm more qualified. What was he supposed to do? Whimper? I THINK HE GOT SCREWED.

I agree with you Palmz.

[SN365]

I wish if Mr. Fitzgerald waited until the transactions have been made so that there will be ample evidence against all who were involved in criminal activities.

Why are some people too quick to judge Mr. Jackson before receiving all the facts? For heaven's sake, give the man the benefit of the doubt. He is innocent until proven otherwise. It seems that some people do not even care even if Mr. Jackson is innocent, because their minds are clouded by whatever bias they harbor in their hearts.

[redraspberry]

Well Jr. did publicly DIS his Daddy over the open mike affair.

[steveRB]

'I want my name back.' .... that'll be 50,000 dollars. Please pay at the window.

[ErikW65]

Only Jesse Jr.'s emissary can give Jesse Jr. his name back by admitting to have tried to bribe a public official. Gee, I wonder who could have possibly offered a total of $1.5 Mil for Jesse Jr. without his knowledge? Who could such a generous benefactor be, besides Jesse Jackson Sr.?

[POINT84]

Its not possible Blago was throwing out names in hopes that no one would call his bluff?