The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct announced late Monday that they have agreed to “continue to defer taking action into whether Representative Jesse Jackson Jr., or an agent of Representative Jackson, may have offered to raise funds for then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in return for the appointment of Representative Jackson to the Illinois Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.”
But Jackson hadn’t heard about their decision when asked about it by TPM on Tuesday.
“I’m not aware of this information that you’re sharing,” Jackson told TPM. He had no further comment.
The delay in the trial of former Illinois Gov. Rob Blagojevich has benefited Jackson because it has prevented the ethics committee from moving forward with their investigation into the allegations against the congressman.
Justice Department officials requested that the Standards Committee delay taking action on the Jackson matter. The press release from the ethics committee mentioned the upcoming retrial of Blago in April 2011 and said that officials from the committee will make a public statement at least annually if it continues to defer the investigation.
Jackson has been accused of directing one of his major campaign contributors to give Gov. Rod Blagojevich millions of dollars in campaign contributions so that he would pick Jackson to fill the Senate seat left empty by now President Barack Obama.
Jackson said he was cooperating in the federal investigation into Blagojevich. He allegedly spoke with the FBI in a March 2009 interview as part of the Blagojevich investigation and mentioned a relationship with a D.C. restaurant hostess (and former model) who he called a “social acquaintance.” Jackson allegedly directed a contributor to purchase plane tickets to Chicago for that woman. Jackson has said he is “deeply sorry” for his actions and said he had “disappointed some supporters” with his relationship with the woman.
