ABC is reporting that Jesse Jackson, Jr. is ‘senate candidate #5′. Wiretaps suggest that Blagojevich believed that emissaries of Jackson had offered up to a million dollars to appoint him to serve in the senate.
It’s important to note that this is unnamed ’emissaries’ who Blagojevich told others had made offers to him. So there’s a lot of wiggle room for misunderstandings, lying (mainly Blagojevich) and people freelancing, doing or saying things Jackson knew nothing about.
But there’s no getting around the fact that this puts Jackson right in the middle of this mess, whether or not it turns out to be because of anything of his own doing.
This passage from ABC’s article says a lot …
Jackson Jr. said this morning he was contacted yesterday by federal prosecutors in Chicago who he said “asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process.”
Jackson Jr. said “I don’t know” when asked if he was Candidate #5, but said he was told “I am not a target of this investigation.”
Jackson Jr. said he agreed to talk with federal investigators “as quickly as possible” after he consults with a lawyer.
