Politics & Government
Was Jesse Jackson Jr. Talked Out of Giving Up His Seat?
A legal advisor to Jackson may have told the congressman not to resign before the election, according to CBS 2 reports.
A fear of losing federal health insurance may have been the determining factor in Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.'s decision to remain in office, according to a CBS 2 report.
Jackson had been considering resigning from the position before the election, but he and his wife were talked out of the idea by a trusted legal adviser, CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports. The prospect of losing the health insurance "just when he needed it most" was part of the reason Jackson reconsidered, the legal adviser told Levine.
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Jackson is currently the subject of a criminal investigation regarding his campaign spending and a congressional ethics investigation.
Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed reported yesterday that Jackson has been in talks with federal investigators to negotiate a plea deal. Should Jackson plead guilty to a felony, he would have to give up his seat, in which case there would be a special election.
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Cook County Clerk David Orr told CBS 2 the election schedule leaves ample opportunity for a special race if there needs to be one.
“The feds are smart," Orr told Levine. "They understand taxpayers, they understand the issues. So all I’m saying is I want the people to understand that we do have existing dates for February and April, and if at all possible – if this happens, which we don’t know – it would be nice that we could save the taxpayers money.”
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