Fund-raiser: Jesse Jackson Jr. behind $6M Senate-seat scheme (Ethics investigation stopped because of potential criminal charges last year)

Jesse Jackson, Jr., has NO COMMENT? When is the last time that a member of the Jackson family had NO COMMENT? The love child of Jesse Sr.? Looks like there are more landmines ahead for Rep Jackson which makes him the perfect candidate to become Mayor of Chicago.

Another example of corruption in the Democrat ranks -- the list keeps growing as we learn of more Democrats for Sale. The Black Caucus is leading the way with corruption starting with Rep Rangel. Before anyone declares that is a racist statement, it is a fact. Will they all be reelected? You can take it to the bank they will be back in Congress as Rangel demonstrated with his win against a group of opponents. Would be willing to bet he got some in the race to make sure he came out on top.

This might explain Rep Jackson's wife considering running for Mayor against her husband if it is true her husband had an affair with the white suburban woman mentioned in the article as has been alleged. This could get interesting even for Chicago politics!

Fund-raiser: Jesse Jackson Jr. behind $6M Senate-seat scheme
Feds had questions about Senate-seat deal and flights for a Jackson acquaintance

September 21, 2010

BY NATASHA KORECKI, CHRIS FUSCO AND LYNN SWEET Staff Reporters



The allegation that Rep. Jesse

Jackson Jr. directed a major

political fund-raiser to offer

former Gov. Rod Blagojevich

millions of dollars in campaign

cash in return for an appointment

to the U.S. Senate  contradicts

public statements he made as

recently as last week.

(AP File)

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. directed a major political fund-raiser to offer former Gov. Rod Blagojevich millions of dollars in campaign cash in return for an appointment to the U.S. Senate, sources said the fund-raiser has told federal authorities.

The allegation by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak counters public statements made as recently as last week by Jackson that he never authorized any deal to attempt to buy the Senate seat.

Nayak also told authorities he paid for two airline trips for a "social acquaintance" of the Democratic congressman at Jackson's request, raising more potential ethical and political problems for Jackson.

The FBI interviewed that acquaintance — a Washington, D.C., restaurant hostess named Giovana Huidobro — about a year ago as part of its corruption probe of Blagojevich. Authorities were trying to determine whether Jackson had asked Nayak to offer Blagojevich campaign cash in exchange for the then-governor appointing Jackson to the seat once held by President Obama, according to sources with knowledge of the probe.

Huidobro, Jackson and Nayak all dined together on Oct. 8, 2008 — the same day that Nayak has told authorities he had a key conversation with Jackson about the Senate appointment, sources said. The three then ended up at Ozio, the restaurant and club where Huidobro works and where Jackson has held fund-raisers.

Huidobro told authorities she knew nothing of Jackson's political dealings regarding the Senate seat, according to sources. She also said she flew to Chicago on several occasions at Jackson's request and that Jackson sometimes reimbursed her for her travels.

Nayak told the FBI that he paid for two airline trips for Huidobro from Washington to Chicago in 2008.

A spokesman for Jackson declined to comment Monday.

Reached Tuesday on his cell phone, Jackson said: "I have nothing to say. Call my office. Have a good day."

Pressed about Huidobro, the congressman again said, "I have nothing to say."

Jackson does not appear to have reported the flights for Huidobro as a gift on his House financial-disclosure statement, and it's unclear whether he violated any ethics or fund-raising laws by not doing so.

Excerpt: Read More at Chicago Sun Times