Jesse Jackson Jr. items

Perhaps there will be some Blagojevich items here, but mostly stories about Senate Candidate 5, Jesse Jackson Jr.

A special reader writes us with this question...

Jackson Jr. … guilty or innocent? Or was Sr. doing the talkin’.

Well let's try to answer that question shall we and let's start with Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. denying that he was an emissary from ABC News (hat-tip CapFax)...

Rev. Jesse Jackson says he played no role and was not "an emissary" in alleged efforts to make a deal with Governor Rod Blagojevich for the appointment of his son, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) to the U.S. Senate.

Speaking publicly for the first time, Rev. Jackson said he last met with the Governor four months ago and was not the unnamed individual cited in the FBI affidavit who promised to raise up to a $1 million in exchange for the Senate seat.

"So I am not an emissary. I am not targeted. And I have no accusers. That's simply not true," Jackson told ABCNews.com as he arrived in Washington Thursday for an event sponsored by Operation PUSH.

Well The Bench thinks that Rev. Jackson was the emissary...

Junior's father, the "Reverend" Jesse Jackson, Sr., is a man with a long history of extorting money from corporations. Squeezing people is just business to Daddy Jesse. His ego is enormous and he would undoubtedly like to see Junior become a US Senator, which would enhance his potential to one day become a viable presidential contender. Daddy Jesse ran for president but failed miserably. Like a non-athletic father who lives vicariously through his son the high school football star, Jesse Jackson, Sr. has personal high hopes for Junior in the game of politics.

We don't hold the sins of the father against the son, but Junior's tightly crafted denial yesterday of any involvement in Blago's Senate seat scandal was less than satisfying. In fact, it was not a complete denial.

The messed up part is that it makes sense, but it has to be proven. Perhaps we'll get to the bottom of who was supposed to meet with the governor on Rep. Jackson's behalf and if there was some type of talk about trading a Senate seat appointment for donations.

Now before I read one more item, I saw the press conference with the Congressman's attorney, James Montgomery and he said that Jackson should take the Senate seat and that of the many adjective used entitled to it. I know he's an attorney and perhaps he's had a long couple of days. Saying your client is entitled to a US Senate seat especialy after a scandal broke out won't help him at all.

Anyway here's Wednesday's press conference with Congressman Jackson courtesy of Jack and Jill Politics.

BTW, Rev. Jackson has lawyered up anyway. We shouldn't read too much into it!

From Crain's yesterday an article concerning state government since Blagojevich found himself in federal custody:

The corruption scandal surrounding Gov. Rod Blagojevich is already affecting the state’s precarious finances.

Illinois has postponed a $1.4-billion short-term debt offering scheduled for Thursday. And late Wednesday, credit-rating agency Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said it may downgrade the state’s AA general obligation bond rating, citing a growing deficit and concern over “the legal charges now facing the governor and his chief of staff.”

The debt offering, which would have helped close Illinois’ $4-billion operating deficit, fell through because the state was unable to complete required paperwork and didn’t obtain the credit ratings it needed.

Well it seems like that while the Governor will hang onto his office with his claws, these problems could continue to mount. This has got to be a concern.

Althouse: What's the matter with Illinois? & How to oust Blagojevich

Top of the Ticket: While Barack Obama talks, Tony Rezko sings

WSJ: In Chicago, Political Celebration Gives Way to Political Shame

Hotline: Everybody Has An Opinion -- And An Angle

The Fix: Blagojevich Arrest Muddies Illinois Political Waters

I know that post from The Fix is two days old but it's still worthy of inclusion here. Blagojevich's arrest may have messed up the political scene for a long while to come. Go beyond some of those updates under the Blagojevich picture and read the original post.

The Caucus: Who’s Cooperating in the Blagojevich Investigation?

FOX News: Attorney General Lisa Madigan wants state Supreme Court to declare Gov. Blagojevich unfit for office. There goes Rule 382. Article via Newsalert!

Old news but Bill Baar gives his two cents on what the President-elect should do...

Obama should walk on over to the State of Illinois building for a chat with the Gov. It would be good practice for that personal diplomacy he talked about in the debates. Sitting down with tought leaders to find a solution to conflicts.

I think we should see that!

WBBM-TV: Video - Ex-operative claims Jesse Jackson Jr. is no reformer! I had to watch this one it's Frank Coconate!

Irish Pirate posted some 'toons, but check out this offering from Illinipundit!

The Bench offers a roundup of yesterday's news about Blagojevich.

The CapFax provides two links among others for your reading pleasure on the Blago scandal.

First from the Trib:

As Gov. Rod Blagojevich was trying to pick Illinois' next U.S. senator, businessmen with ties to both the governor and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. discussed raising at least $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job, the Tribune has learned.

Blagojevich made an appearance at an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg sponsored by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich supporter who also has fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family, according to several attendees and public records.

Two businessmen who attended the meeting and spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity said that Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi privately told many of the more than two dozen attendees the fundraising effort was aimed at supporting Jackson's bid for the Senate.

Among the attendees was a Blagojevich fundraiser already under scrutiny by federal investigators, Joliet pharmacist Harish Bhatt.

And it goes on and on, but read the whole thing anyway.

Also from the Hill, JJJ isn't likely to be Obama's successor:

Most political watchers in Illinois agree that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D), once a leading candidate to succeed President-elect Obama in the Senate, is now a long shot to fill the seat.

Jackson, believed to be “Senate Candidate 5” in a criminal complaint filed against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), did not help his own cause by holding a bizarre press conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday during which he left more questions unanswered than answered.
...

To political observers, the press conference marked the end of Jackson’s hopes of securing Obama’s seat.

“Like anybody who's ever been named in an indictment, there’s an implication in that that’s going to be awfully hard to overcome,” said Terry Walsh, a Democratic consultant with The Strategy Group.

Jackson “is going to have a hard time.”

I don't begrudge that Rep. Jackson didn't answer too many question. I would expect that the answers will come eventually hopefully after he talks to the feds. Either way I wonder if his campaigning for this seat and then the ensuing scandal that was revealed Tuesday might have harmed his odds. Of course there wasn't a huge possibility that he'd get the seat anyway.

For your interest the Southern Avenger relates the spy tactics of The Patriot Act with how they caught Governor Blagojevich.