Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

This just in… Jackson ethics investigation resumes after feds lift hold

Posted in:

Illinois

* 4:18 pm - The Justice Department had asked the US House Ethics Committee to hold off any investigation into Congressman Jesse jackson, Jr. while it probed the Rod Blagojevich case and related matters. That request has now been withdrawn, so the committee is moving forward.

Jackson will probably be hit with some bad press about this. For instance, this is from Debbie Halvorson…

“The House Ethics Committee’s decision to look into possible ethics violations by Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. is proof that he continues to be plagued with distractions over his possible role in Rod Blagojevich’s pay-to-play scandal involving President Obama’s former Senate seat. We should have a Representative that is focusing on job creation and economic development for our district—not on ethics investigations. The 2nd Congressional District deserves strong leadership that will be focused on the needs of local residents. Our campaign remains focused on the many challenges facing the residents of the 2nd Congressional District.”

Headlines so far this afternoon…

* Ethics to look into Jesse Jackson, Jr., allegation on Obama Senate seat

* House Ethics Panel Resumes Inquiry Into Jesse Jackson, Jr.

* Ethics Committee Restarts Probe of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

* But this development could also be seen as an implicit admission by the feds that they’ve wrapped up their investigation and aren’t going anywhere else with it.

…Adding… New York Times…

But a preliminary investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics — which serves as a grand jury of sorts for the House Ethics Committee — concluded in 2009 that there was evidence that Mr. Jackson’s staff in Washington and Chicago “were used to mount a public campaign to secure the representative’s appointment to the U.S. Senate,” a possible violation of House rules that prohibit the use of public resources for personal or political causes.

The investigators also questioned if the “emissary” who was recorded offering Mr. Blagojevich help raising campaign funds was acting at the request of Mr. Jackson. If the congressman did have someone offer to raise money for the governor in return for an appointment to the Senate, then he might have “violated federal law and House rules,” the ethics office said in its 2009 report.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 4:19 pm

Comments

Who is Halvorson’s campaign manager this cycle? Win or lose, that person is going to have a lot of fun over the next few months.

Comment by Boone Logan Square Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 4:23 pm
BLS,

God, yes. Halvorson’s campaign will have a blast! I’m surprised they haven’t already cranked something out. Poor J-Cube.

Comment by Cincinnatus Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 4:59 pm
She said on My Fox Chicago this weekend that she’s her own campaign manager, so this should be fun for everyone!

Comment by South Suburbs Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 5:00 pm
Good news for Trips. The Justice Department is off the trail. The House Ethics Committee is about as dangerous as a squirt gun.

Eventually, they might get around to issuing some slap-on-the-wrist. But those guys, from both parties, weren’t put on that committee to be The Untouchables.

Put it this way, whatever happens in the election, it looks like he doesn’t have Fitz in his rearview anymore. And that has to feel good.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 5:10 pm
Every candidate says they are their own campaign manager.

Comment by Just Me Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 6:16 pm
How fast does the Ethics Committee move?

When have voters dumped members of Congress for being unethical?

And what is Triple J accused of? Offering to exchange raise money in exchange for a Senate seat?

I’m skeptical that the charge of offering to raise money in exchange for appointment to the Senate will resonate with voters. How is this different than how people normally get elected? B/c Rod Blagojevich was committing a crime on his end? OK. But why is it a crime on Jackson’s end?

I think it’s going to be hard to persuade voters that Jackson’s part in the scheme was substantially different than normal campaigning.

But Halvorson is welcome to try. We hold elections to test these theories.

Comment by Carl Nyberg Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 8:07 pm
JJJ is still the luckiest man alive. If the Trib had waited a week (until the Indian fund raiser), he’d be in prison today.

Comment by Park Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 8:22 pm
Ethics cases take a long time for even a decision on whether the case will be heard. However, if JJJ’s staff is found to have done such work on official time and not on leave or personal time, he will be in hot water. When a Congressperson runs for a higher office - be it Governor or Senator - his or her offices typically resemble ghost towns. JJJ’s and his staff should have followed that tact and played it safe.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Oct 18, 11 @ 10:30 pm
@Carl
“How fast does the Ethics Committee move?”
Not particularly fast, which in my opinion, is a good thing. The Ethics Committee should do a thorough job of research and investigation before bringing things to the public eye. The media covers the gossipy portions of such cases just fine.

“When have voters dumped members of Congress for being unethical?”
Rarely, but one recent example is Ted Stevens from Alaska.

Also, I’d like to add that the Ethics Committee is kind of under the gun now for the chair possibly receiving confidential information about a case prior when he should not have had that information. http://goo.gl/HdKaH

Comment by PrecinctCaptain Wednesday, Oct 19, 11 @ 1:53 am