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Subscribe to RSSJackson, who has been hospitalized on and off since June for treatment of bipolar disorder, gave up his seat in Congress after 17 years. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
Updated 2:59 p.m. ET — Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., resigned from Congress on Wednesday following a prolonged treatment for mental health issues.
An aide to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told NBC News that the speaker's office received a letter from the Illinois congressman this afternoon.
"During this journey, I have made my share of mistakes," Jackson wrote in his letter. "I am aware of the ongoing federal investigation into my activities, and I am doing my best to address the situation responsibly, cooperate with the investigators, and accept responsibility for my mistakes, for they are my mistakes and mine alone. None of us is immune from our share of shortcomings or human frailties and I pray that I will be remembered for what I did right."
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s resignation comes just two weeks after he won a ninth term as a representative of Illinois without campaigning and after being out of the public eye for months due to a personal struggle with mental illness. NBC's Kelly O'Donnell reports.
The son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader, Jackson, Jr. had sought treatment for bipolar depression at the Mayo Clinic for much of the past summer and fall. His last vote in Congress was on June 10, and his mysterious disappearance from official duties prompted speculation about the reason for the Democrat's prolonged absence.
Jackson was first elected to Congress in 1995 in a Chicago-area district's special election, and had won re-election to eight full terms since then. He won re-election just 15 days ago by a 40-point margin in the heavily Democratic district. Jackson also survived a Democratic primary challenge this summer from former Rep. Debbie Halvorson. President Barack Obama and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) each endorsed Jackson in the primary.
Amid his battles against mental illness, Jackson has also been embroiled in ethics allegations, which prompted the congressman to reportedly hire an attorney in recent weeks.
In particular, Jackson's efforts to convince then-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to appoint him as Barack Obama's successor in the Senate have drawn scrutiny. Blagojevich, a Democrat, was subsequently convicted of having sought favors and donations in exchange for the appointment.
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We've lost one of our best future leaders.
The republicans are looking for the reason they've lost to president obama ??? let me help you guys , first thing , drop MORONI , and turn back to JESUS CHRIST !!! drop the GREED , drop the LYING , drop the HIPOCRICY , drop the SELFISHNESS , drop the SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS , drop the WELFARE ENTITLEMENT FOR THE RICH , drop the ARROGANCE , drop the OFFSHORE TAX DODGING , drop the OBSTUCTIONIST. IN OTHER WORDS , '' DROP THE TEA PARTY '' , AND IT WILL GIVE YA'LL A FIGHTING CHANCE !!!!!!!
Drop dead ass breath.......Obama won because he is the political equivalent of Santa Claus, with an Obama phone.
@ceo;
REALLY??? Well, I am a black man who voted for Barack and I still haven't received my X-mas presents from him yet! Maybe I should file a reparations suit against him. Bet'cha then I'll get all the millions he promised us niggars during his campaign stomping! Maybe I can even get a date with Michele too while I am at it! Pres Obama is SO generous to us worthless-ass black folk that I bet he would go for it. Because she is black; I am sure Michele is nuthin but a HO! Am I right? AM I RIGHT???
Right on...
What???...no Obama phone! No wonder you are so bitter....with a black unemployment rate of 14.3%, a black youth rate of 28.6%, with 27.4% of all blacks living below the poverty level and 72% of all black babies being born to unwed women....you got hosed. But that's o.k., you keep on voting Democrat....you must enjoy being down on that "plantation". I'm sure in another century or so things will get better and that Obama phone will one day be yours.
@CEO ; Romney got his butt kicked by Obama because of ignorant comments and ideology of the GOP. Our economy is recovering and with no thanks to the crazies of the GOP like you. We'll see what they do in the next 4 years to help our country recover...more obstructionism? Cantor, Ryan, McConnell, McCain, and Boehner are all in for a tough time and I LOVE IT! The GOP is running around bashing each other now... trying to show that they care about this country. What a bunch of LIARS , JUST LIKE YOU , WITH THAT 1905 KKK MENTALITY. They could care less.
@CEO ; i predict in only three more months , the republican conservative tea party of the '' IRRELEVANT '' will began to get over this huge '' LANDSLIDE ''of a loss. And thereby be enlightened by the OBAMA ADMINISTRATIONS , CHARM AND LIKABILITY , ( next to the republicans excelerated effort to throw bishop polygamist under the IRS bus ) , LOL !!!!!!! YOU LOST , AND DON'T YOU TAKE A STEP WITHOUT BEING HAPPY HE LETS YOU BREATH ON '' PLANET OBAMANATION '' , FOOLLLLLL !!!!!!
@CEO OF THE KKK PARTY ; OBAMA WON THIS ELECTION FOR A REASON , AND THAT'S TO MOVE AMERICA FORWARD. ANY OBSTRUCTIONIST FOR NOW ON WILL BE MARKED AND ALIENATED BY THE AMERICAN VOTERS ON THE NEXT ELECTION. I CAN JUST SEE THOSE REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE TEA PARTY OF THE '' OBSTRUCTIONIST '' BEING CARRIED OFF PENSYLVANIA AVENUE , '' OVERWELMED , AND IN SHOCK '' , LOL !!!!!!!
@CEO OF THE KKK PARTY ; it's all their fault for thinking that being hateful , arrogant , and greedy beyond belief , would win them the presidency. ROMNEY AND THE REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE TEA PARTY OF THE OBSTRUCTIONIST '' LOST BY A LANDSLIDE '' !!!!!!! LOL
Yikes.....that's quite a display of incoherent, mindless drivel......but that's to be expected from an Obama sycophant. Where a normal, logical thinking person can make a point in just a few sentences, it takes a dolt like yourself 4 postings, with periods in between each post to gather your convoluted thoughts. And you expect this country to move forward with people like you choosing the President?? I can't imagine what it's like to go through life completely clueless.....so thanks for the insight. Oh..and finally...LOL, LOL, LOL What a stupid f@#k.
This slime ball was as crooked as....well as crooked as his old man, the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Yet, after skimming campaign cash for his own personal use, having his name tied to the Blago corruption scandal and spending several months away from his "job" while still collecting pay, the good people of the Chicago district he represents...had no problem reelecting him with an overwhelming majority. How do you strive for change for the better, when you face such blind loyalty and ignorance.
...and just think; this election season's field of GOP candidates was so replete with wonderful "would-be's" that Mitt, the empty Witt, Romney just blew Barack Obama out of the water, right? No corruption whatsoever in the Republican Party, right? Never has been; never will be, right?
Black politicians are so corrupt in fact; that I think I will file for a change of ethnicity; go from being a black man to being a white person, so I too can be a perfect specimen of the Republican Party, without fault and with a blotted sense of self-righteousness; right?
Right on...
Take off the blinders JC and face reality, assuming you can also put aside your bigotry, defending the actions of JJ Jr. does nothing for the "struggle". And you're down for the struggle, right? Or better yet...Right on?
Don't try to play me, okay? And I won't insult your limited intelligence. You know nothing about the cause and you know nothing about the Rev.'s because you have no personal information to share.
Jesse Jackson Sr may have fallen just like your white priest but I can recall a winter not too long ago when he and the members of Operation Push, handed out warm over coats and jackets to the homeless. I personally donated thousands of dollars to that neighborhood drive to collect these coats; some were brand new and some were previously worn. What did the white people or Republicans do to help the poor that year? Oh, I forgot! There is really no such thing as poor people, (even though the bible says, "but the poor, you shall have with you ALWAYS!"), of course that is not what it meant.
There are ONLY black people too lazy to work for what they want, right? At the same time you idiots make that claim you also complain that because of Pres Obama; there ARE NO JOBS, so please tell me, how can both be true? You lost this election as wellas the one before and you WILL lose again and again if you don't stop being so white, so arrogant, and so ignorant, to what is going on right before your own blind eyes and your pointy white noses! Four more years of a black man in your White House? YOU BUILT THAT!
Do you honestly believe that your little, pathetic, rant will make any black person see another black person the way you see them? Always wrong? No matter what? I was once counted among the poor so I know first hand what these folks are going through. You sit in your high ivory tower and upon your high white horse and judge what you don't know a damn thing about. You're all so very sad to me! There's some reality for your ass!!!
Right on...
Give me a freakin break….and please spare me the self righteous indignation, as phony as it is. While you're a bigot...your not stupid and you should know sarcasm when you read it.
What have white people done for the poor you ask…? How about $15 trillion dollars spent on federal welfare programs since the “War on Poverty” began in 1965. Along with the hundreds of billions of dollars in charitable donations over the years. The overwhelming amount of those dollars coming from those good for nothing white folk you disparage. Not to mention the fact that most of those coats handed out by the good Reverend were probably donated by whitey. Do you ever think about the comments you're about to make before posting, or does your prejudice prevent that from taking place? I didn't think so.....
Except that you forget that Obama is half white......and being the white hating, hard core racist that you appear to be, that must put a real clamp on your sphincter. Not only that...on the other side, Obama has no genuine slave blood lineage...so how can he be a true brother?
And that in itself is a major part of the problem....the vast majority of the black community fails to recognize that many of their problems are self inflicted. And no matter how much money whitey pours into the system via the federal government...those problems will not be addressed until the black community conducts a serous self analysis. But don't let that steer you off course, keep on voting Democrat at a 93-97% rate, which blacks have been doing since the launch of the Great Society almost 50 years ago, and we see how well that has worked out The plantation mentality still exists and the Democrat party willingly reaps the benefits....while keeping you chained to the government gravy train....in all it's forms. And that's not a stereotype...that's a fact.
If that's true, that you have extricated yourself from the ranks of the poor, why not do your community a favor. Instead of blaming everything on the evil doings of whitey, as bigots do, why not offer some encouragement, as an example.. ...that a better life can be achieved. After all if a simple minded individual such as yourself can achieve a degree of success, why can't others? And that my racist friend, is REALITY slapping you upside the head.
Right On and Power to the People
You submit LIES and expect me to believe them? 15-trillion dollars has not been spent on the poor in any cycle of any single presidency!!! DAMN! The money this gub'ment spends on the poor si a lot less than what you quote in your LIES! Under every Republican admn the bulk of the tax payers dollars is spent on WAR! How stupid do you think I am? Do you have any concept of how long ago 1965 is?
A true 'brother' is any person of color who understands and has experienced racism at the hands of bigoted white ppl. What the FU.CK do you know about being a true brother anyway? LMAO!
White people see Barack Obama as half white ONLY when they want to make a point in their favor, other than that; Barack Obama is treated like a nigga just like all other blacks! When it is convenient to make your argument; then you look at his white side.
As far as my role in the black community, I devote much of my time in service as an educator and I do it free of charge. But no white idiot will ever be able to tell me what I should teach the people because regardless of the BS you're trying to shove down my throat, I know the real truth about your self- important race because I was educated by the original Black Panthers and was tutored by the likes of Fred Hampton and Malcolm X. You fools act like blacks have NEVER done a damn thing for themselves. Whitey did it all, right? Ever heard of the 10th Calvary? Blacks fought for their own freedom but will never escape the real oppressor of the people because rats are a tough breed to rid oneself of.
Whitey took care of us po' niggas all we lives and we should bow down and kiss yo white asses for it. Go straight to hell non-stop!
Right on...
I take it back....you're really not that smart. Not only are you a bigoted racist....but you're also a dumb ass that can't read. The $15 trillion refers to the amount spent since 1965, if you can do the math, that's 47 years. Maybe you should have concentrated on a real education instead of the one provided by the Black Panthers, Fred and Malcolm. Maybe you wouldn't be so bitter and full of hate. As far as your other comments....who the @!$%# cares, it's a waste of time as you perpetuate the stereotype. Your past is the new master....and it has you in chains, which I believe is where you prefer to be. So have a nice time in your bitter, bigoted world, because the hate is all you have to hold on to. Good luck with that @!$%#.........
your so delusional...
obama wins because there really are more pitiful americans than one's who want to work for what they get in america... the funny part is, they are too dumb to realize there isn't enough working people to support all their dumb, lazy, drugged out assesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
roflmaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
i just sit back and laugh at how dumb they are
YUP! And somehow the dummies are still in the White House while the righteous and perfect white GOP'ers are still on the OUTSIDE looking in! If you wish to laugh at anyone, look in the mirror and a have a good one courtesy of the lazy, lousy, Democratic Party that YOU ALONE support with all your billions and all the money the gub'ment takes from you hard-working, white folks and gives to us do-nothin niggas who sit around from month to month waiting for the mail-carrier to bring us we blotted welfare checks and free food stamps! Maybe you should join we and stop killin yo'self workin all them long hours Mr White Man, so I can drive a brand new Cadillac, free of charge!!!
I bet if you tried hard enough, you could bend over backward and kiss your own ass! What a FOOL!?! The more you idiots pounce on the poor, the more they unite but you creeps just keep right on throwing spit-balls like a bunch of juvenile, imbecilic, brats! White people like you, REALLY NEED TO GROW THE FU.CK UP! ROTFLMBAO!!!!!!!!
Right on...
I am not the one with the issues...you are! Not upset or angry about anything. My guys won!!!
Right on...
Please get mental help !!
Why isn't this surprising when it all started from Blago's scam with Jackson revealed. Where's the two Reverends AL and Jesse on this one, maybe too busy looking the other way until this goes off the radar. They can minister to Jesse Jr. on visiting days.
Must be nice to be white and always right! Wonder why they ever locked up Jerry Sandusky at all; just for raping a few lousy teen-agers that needed raping anyway. Heyyyy, and how about all those wonderful Catholic priest who over the years have raped so many children that they cannot be enumerated? I mean; since YOU brought up men of the clergy. Yea-ah! Oh! And how about Fig Newton Gangrene, if you wanna talk politicians; who was among the first to yell crucify Bill Clinton while he himself ran from house to house gettin his Willie-whacked! Free of sin! Free of sin! Thank god-almighty, I is free of sin!
Oh I just love being so judgmental! Makes me feel all warm, white, right and fuzzy inside; mmmmm!
Right on...
JC, no judgemental reasoning here just the truth as Jesse Jr. fell off the branch after monkeying around with campaign donations illegally.
Both Al and Jesse Sr. are the point men for racism and divisiveness with the Divider in Chief their puppeteer.
There ya go Tad....now you've done it...code words. What could you possibly have meant by using the phrase "monkeying around"? I'm sure you realize that you can expect a barrage of uber left rants calling you out as a racist. You gotta be careful with these people....it's like Pavlov's dog, ring the racist bell and watch them swarm.
Before anyone condemns the appearance of their neighbors back yard, they might first look at the trash heap in their own, lol.
Right on...
ceo,
It didn't take long as JC jumped on it like a hobo on chitlinks..........................
Oh yeah boss! we niggas REALLY piled on didn't we? {Looking around to see another single comment other than my own as I am the only black offering retort to this ignorant sh!t from the beginning}!
Right on...tad; you really caught us jumpin on like a hobo on chitlins you racist red neck!
@hesfailed;
You are so inept as to compare Micheal Jackson to the likes of Jerry Sandusky? REALLY??? I don't remember Mike ever being sentenced to prison for ANY crime, much less child molestation. But of course since Mike was black he is certainly guilty of being that! ROTFLMBAO!!!
Right on...
In the interest of fairness, I Fact-checked the above data submitted by me and I am correct as usual. Micheal Jackson was charged (indicted) on 14 counts of child molestation but convicted of NONE as in ZERO! AND...you dare to possess the unmitigated gall, the audacity; to compare Mike with Jerry, 'I'll rape your kids if I get anywhere near them,' Sandusky? REALLY??? Whites are the greatest freaks on earth; there can be no argument about that well known fact! LMAO again!!!
Oh btw: Black clergy typically are not guilty of child molestation anywhere near the rate that white priest and clergy are! REALITY CHECK for your soul. Hee, hee, hee!
Right on...
Right on...
Adam Clayton Powell. Marion Berry. Charlie Rangel. Now Jesse Jackson, Jr. Add one more to the ghetto politician hall of infamy.
OR GEORGE BUSH , DICK CHANEY , RUSH LIMBAUGH , AND THE KKK !!!!
None of you really want to talk about guilty 'white' politicians, do you? That list would take up at least 12 pages of Newsvine for openers alone! Gimme a break!?! The list of convicted and well known white politicians is longer than my arm and contains much greater and much more sinister charges than merely smoking dope or using recreational drugs. Let's examine Dick Nixon's entire cabinet including Spiro Agnew! Oh my goodness!!! I am now laughing so hard that I've given myself a headache. I am therefore calling for a 'time out' while I take some recreational drugs for my nigga head! ROTFLMBAO AGAIN!!!
Right on... and hey; c'mon fellas and lets stop the madness! There is nothing here for you to win and for every black person you try to condemn, I can list a thousand whites guilty of much greater crimes. Give this sh!t up, okay? Your battleship was sunk from my very first volley across your bow!
Right on...again!
What a freakin' criminal creep. Last minute mental illness hideaway. Sure. Look at the list of clan bears he hung with along with all the other democrats. Gosh, an endorsement from the President after he tried to buy the seat from Bogdonavichy. The man stole money and broke 10000 ethics violations and kickbacks. And of course lets not forget the typical crying blabbering resignation speech which always has to include... "I made mistakes and should be forgiven because everybody makes mistakes like this... everybody". NO, everybody does not make mistakes like that, actually hardly anyone does... as much as you want to drag everyone in the toilet with you. He did the crimes, crimes, crimes... now he has to do the time..lots of time. And no get out of jail free card for this last minute mental illness scheme. And he should take his crooked ass kickback loving daddy with him.
@ GO 4 D GUSTO ; where in the heck are you people when those warmongering criminals come in , wreck our economy , kill innocent bystanders , and start wars on pure lies ?????? !!!!!!! ya'll make my skin crawl !!!!!!!!
I believe the article was about this criminal piece of crap blowing through our government. You're a complete dolt and a half.
Write and publish an article about your whiney little deflection issues, and I will type out my thoughts.
YOU BETTER BE JOKING! C'mon...lets do it scuz! Oh, I meant 'cuz'!
Right on...
Sign the petition to tell boehner and the republi-tards to Stop playing politics and pass the middle class tax cuts!!
Sign the petition here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/taxes/tax-cuts
Ummmm, tea, the focus is currently on Jesse Jr. distraction won't work as Reverends an AL and Jesse Sr. are plotting the race card.
No one on this earth plays the race card more than whites, NOBODY! Every time a black earns a dime whites cry affirmative action gave them that dime whereas you all built that, right?! You ALL can go screw yourselves with that 'race card' crap when it was Fruit (the Newt) Gangrene who said, "Pres Obama is the greatest 'food stamps' president ever!" What was that; a greeting card? Hell NO! It was the race card in an awkward attempt at being subtle and it was about as subtle as a nuclear bomb as it resonated within the black community. We understood exactly where Big Boy was cummin' from my good dudes and dudettes if there be any! You all are silly and that's why you lost 2012 BIG! I mean REALLY BIG!
Right on...
If the Republicans continue to obstruct President Obama's common sense approach of tax increase and service cut which most American support...the GOP is seriously going toward a cliff of its own - forever relegated to minority status as the case for Democrats after the Civil War which had taken more than 6 decades to climb back into majority with FDR in 1932.
MSNBC must be a JJJr supporter.... This has been running for 3 days.. This is old news... Get over it and move on...
No, I want to hear more about this Swamp Thing.
I'm not as LEFT as Feisty...but I can see her house from my backyard...and little Jesse is a CROOK !!! FRY HIM !!!!
Hey, tea party hater.... everything is good as long as you believe it is. I like most your comments when people complain about Obama and you go off with your hate speak and your crap about the election being over by a landslide because you can't handle the truth. Well, you posted 6 stinky comments here that you have posted on at least a dozen other comments... and none of them had anything to do with the article, just taking shots at Republicans, so take your own freakin' advice. Dumb ass.
Junior is a Senior when it comes to corruption. He is a crook. End of story.
Bubba can't wait to meet Jesse.
and golly Bubba! Ain't you glad there has never been a white politician that was guilty of any crimes against the people? Goddamn but us white folks for sure get it right every time, don't we?
Dick Nixon who? Yuck, yuck! ROTFLMBAO...AGAIN!
Right on...
Good riddance. This guy should have never been allowed in office. He's a criminal and just proved so. The people in Chicago are mafia and their electing this guy even though he didn't show up is also proof.
I would NEVER live in Illinois, let alone visit or spend a dime there.
But Dick Nixon certainly 'belonged' in office, didn't he? He and his entire cabinet 'belonged' in office! Ohhhhhhh YEAH! Talk about tearful apologies, "I am not a crook!" Yeah, he just resigned because they wouldn't change the color of the carpet in the White House! Yeah...right!!!
Right on...
It's simple: pubs have to understand that America does not legislate from its holy books. Nor does it legislate from any particular group's interpretation of their holy books. America is not a theocracy.
Muslim countries legislate from their holy book, the Koran. Interpretation of their holy book comes from their holy leadership. If you do not follow the mandates of the Koran, you die. Those countries are theocracies.
Thus, the naming of the extreme right as taliban-like.
Good, glad he is gone, all he was good for was being a leach off the taxpayers like his adulterous dad.
Hope they put him in jail with the x governor.
I always get a kick of Jackson senior, never worked a day in his life except leaching off the taxpayers and he is worth millions.
Nice job for the Oduma types.
Not at all like adulterous Newt, right?
Right on...
Good riddance!
I hope this guy can recover from his problems.
The saying, "You are what you eat" comes to mind. Juxtapose that with, "You are who you vote for" also comes to mind.
So since Mitt Romney is the biggest LIAR in the world, following your line of thinking, then the people who voted for him are likewise, BIG ASS LIARS as well? I got it! Thanks...learn something new every day!!!
Right on...
Glad they caught him. If he was dipping into the petty cash, he needs to pay for his crime. Never make excuses for criminal acts.
How about the incredible lack of remorse while trying to minimize his complete lack of moral structure? "I have made my share of mistakes.." Wow! That letter was one of them. Maybe some understatement there? He made his share, my share, and his district's share! Then he tries to make his moral bankruptcy seem common; "None of us is (sic) immune from our share of shortcomings or human frailties..."!! But some of us can speak and write English properly, most of us can remain faithful to our spouses, most of us can avoid going to jail for taking money which does not belong to us, or buying a $40,000 gift for the woman he's cheating on his wife for!! Jail time for JJJ!!!
Yeah, Like Newt's heartfelt apology and confession of his own immorality! But wait!!! I keep forgetting that when a white person does wrong, he/she is instantly forgiven and placed upon a higher pedestal like Bill Clinton and Martha Stewart were. Hey, lets give JJ Jr. his own talk and variety show too! He earned it just as much as the white folks did! Or is this yet another category 'for whites only'!?! Lol...
Right on...
He should have quit before the election. Someone else could have ran and won instead. That is just selfish. He is going to the slammer with Blago so not sure why he didn't quit earlier.
If the Republicans continue to obstruct President Obama's common sense approach of tax increase and service cut which most American support...the GOP is seriously going toward a cliff of its own - forever relegated to minority status as the case for Democrats after the Civil War which had taken more than 6 decades to climb back into majority with FDR in 1932.
What the heck does this have to do with Jesse Jackson Jr.?
it is certainly long overdue!
Why waste money on a new election after just having an election??? These citizens voted for this clown who hasn't shown up for work in MONTHS! Clearly they don't care about representation in Congress or is it because of something else??? Race? Name? Does it matter.. they got what they elected..NOTHING AND THEY DESERVE NOTHING!!
Fine Gentleman. Like Father, like Son.