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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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If this guy broke the law, then he should be punished. Period. This is not or should be a discussion of political affiliation as both parties have shown that some of their respective members (remember John Engle from NV) have demonstrated time and time again that they are quite capable of making poor decisions with their heads firmly planted up their a$$. Time to move on, let the legal process run it's natural course.
Jr became Bipolar when he knew the world was coming crashing down on him. Its just a cowardice excuse for this racist. He along with his father, Al Sharpton and others should be shunned by the black community. They do absolutely nothing for them and only stuff their own pockets. I will guarantee you, if Jr. runs again when he gets out...he will win hands down. Blacks vote for race alone...nothing more, nothing less.
Blacks in Chicago for years voted loyally for white Richard J. Daley until some factions formed with guts enough to run candidates against the incumbent. Blacks, like whites, vote for candidates they perceive will do the most for them. This was a loyalty vote in the last election, not a race vote, since there was another black candidate on the ballot. But race could be a motivation. I suspect that there may have been a couple of hundred whites who voted for Romney because he was white and Obama was black.
And they Said A.C.O.R.N. was DEAD this election !
Illinois must really pride itself in it's history of corruption. I even think they named a wing in the Federal Prison system for Illinois governors. Hopefully the Illinois "Jackson 's" will soon get a wing named after them .
They have been the most duplicitous , dishonest, self serving opportunists and vile occupants of Illinois since the days of Al Capone. They lie , they cheat on their wives, they intimidate, and they misrepresent to their constituents so that they can subjugate them into votes regardless of the felony.
Democrats can always get away with dishonesty because anybody who disagrees with them is not just wrong but evil. As long as the voters are more ignorant than the candidates this will continue. Subjugation used to be called slavery. It took a Republican to end that. Democrats have figured out a great way to bring that back. Dependency.
I'd rather be free.....But that's just me.
Does self-righteousness come along with freedom, or is that just you?
Illinois no worse than Louisiana, and Louisiana is infested with republicans.
yes, Lincoln freed the slaves, the south went over to the Democrats until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and integration forced schools and businesses to open up to all citizens. George Wallace and his dogs and cannons turned the new south into a Republican stronghold, my, my, how things changed within 50 years. The New South has turned bright red and still in most circles retain their old worn out prejudices. Time to move on and call out all corruption regardless of party affiliation.
Maybe we can get Blagoyovich to sell the seat and apply the proceeds to the national debt.
You're a little late with this comment, aren't you? It's 2012.
William is being sarcastic.
Hope so. I was getting worried there.
William does that, pretty decent wordsmith, takes on the best the right wingers have to offer. He's a good guy.
Thanks for the tip. I will look for subtle shades of irony amidst the storm of spitwads.
It's quite simple . . . he wanted the taxpayers to foot his Mayo Clinic bill, period.
He's learned all these shady maneuvers from his old man -- including running away from his problems.
One more reason for universal health coverage.
Has there ever been a politician from either party from Chicago that was honest? Must be the water.
Glad he resigned and is in treatment. I wish the Republicans would get their Tea Party crazies some mental health care and maybe they too will resign?
Crooked all the way. He needs jail time and to epay all the money he stole for his own personal gain. His wife was also in on using campaign money for there own gain. She should be pushed out of office also.
Just another crooked Chicago politician, not that there aren't plenty in other cities, just that Chicago seems to reproduce them with amazing consistancy. Plus he will still get his tax payer funded income for life and health insurance benefits (not a bag gig for someone that has been MIA from serving the people of his community)
WHERE is his fada Rev Jesse Jackson and Rev Al (who never was ordained or went for his M.Div) just appointed or anointed...? Al would be out there marching and covering it like he did with Trayvon "the Thug" Martin. ALSO he will do time along with other CORRUPT libs and republicans... FIRE them all, lets go off the fiscal cliff together... WE are going to have to pay anyway...
Jackson is finally doing what the voters of Chicago were too stupid to do.
Well well, the arm chair general is back, and wrong as usual. Hey genius, the reason you tools lost seats wasn't due to a lack of turnout, it was due to the fact that more Americans don't believe the GOP BS than those that do. YOU are in the minority, how's that working out for you. BTW, your handle is insulting to those of us that did serve in the Marines. I'm betting the closest you've ever come to the Marine Corp is in a video game or looking at the pictures in a book.
It's truly amazing how many Republicans are in a state of denial about why they lost the election. Two huge reasons are that Romney thumbed his nose at 47% of the populace and that the demographics in this country are shifting and rendering the old Southern Strategy useless. But beyond having a bad message and not being able to count votes, there must be another reason, they say. Oh yes, it's because there are too many takers who just want stuff. The rich don't want stuff, only more stuff. The red states don't want stuff, because they're already getting more stuff back from the Feds than the blue states. Well...it must be because of Acorn and the Black Panthers...yeah, that's the ticket...or that lots of immigrants are voting...yeah...and because Obama is the Antichrist...and Romney wasn't conservative enough...and because of George Soros...and...and...and...Hurricane Suzy! No, it's because it was Bush's fault!
It usually takes more time to fix something than it takes to break it. We had 8 years of a totally screwed up economy busting administration and policies. what you need to do willie smith is take a seat in the corner, close your pie hole, and watch a competent administration finish FIXING what you idiots broke.
@ Drano
I'm so glad your great at history. NOT!!!!
You may wnat to look at the Carter Admin to get your answer to where the housing crisis started. You also need to go no further than to see what "Slick Willie" expanded upon that nice little piece of legislation. Hell, "Slick Willie" was even warned in 1996 by Brooksly Born what was going to happen, and his little buddies Hank Paulson, Larry Sommers, & Tim Geithner helped derail that warning. Since you are so good at history, maybe you remember that the 3 guys I listed were or are in the current Administration. See how factual history can set you free? GWB can take alot of blame, but the financial meltdown lies solely with DUMCRAPS
Dishonesty and mental illness an equal opportunity party inflicter. If Jackson is prosecuted and found to be guilty by all means jail time warranted. Root out corruption and malfeasance in office, prosecute, get rid of the perpetrators regardless of affiliations, enough blame to go around, doesn't matter who's party had the worst, get rid of them regardless.
Bipolar + Pot + Booze = Dead
Fox + Cheetos + Couch = Brain Dead
Time for Nancy Pelosi to "drain the swamp", or at least flush the toilet, whatever the case may be.
She'd do it, but Boehner is standing on the plug.
Rather than resign the Republicans unethical and criminal element types actually run in Republican elections and win! David Vitter and Rick Scott of Florida are great examples. Scott stole from the USA taxpayers and his company paid biggest fines in history. At least the Democrats have some responsibility and resign. Eliot Spitzer stepped down. Anthony Weiner stepped down. All your bad apples are still in office except for Allen West and dead beat Dad Joe Walsh who got thrown out by the voters.
Not to mention the fact that Reagan negotiated with Iran prior to his first term election, saying that if they could hold off releasing the hostages until after he defeated Carter he would ship them advanced arms through Israel. Or that Jeb Bush ordered state officials to suppress the black vote by stripping thousands of voter from the rolls (later found to be stripped because they had the same names as felons in other states) in order to win the election for his brother. Or that Nixon negotiated with North Vietnam prior to his run against Humphrey to cut off peace talks with the Johnson administration because he would give them a better deal when he was elected. All these acts of treason are documented, but weren't uncovered until well after the fact. So, when Republicans get on their high horse about Democratic corruption, I just have to laugh. I laugh harder because they couldn't steal the last one.
The FBI has him on tape with Blago. If he wasn't Jessy's kid he would have been tried along side Blago and would be in jail today.
The FBI doesn't give a rat's patootie that he's Jessie's kid. Like the other Blago-related cases, the Feds are unwinding the web and using one perpetrator to get to another. Have patience, Bill, and you'll have your bloodfeast in good time. After all, it took awhile to work all the way up to Nixon.
Jesse Jackson, Jr. is a jerk. He never should have run for re-election. What the people of his district deserve is an excellent representative, with all his faculties about him. Jackson denied them the value of their vote. What an ass.
Windy City Jessy swings a lot of weight. I hope you are right. But, a bloodfeast...it ain't gonna happen.
Haha, I'm wondering how all you fools that voted for this pea brain feel now.
Hey willie...i was told your mother was.....why don't you STFU and slither back over to bs mountain.
You don't just suddenly develop bi-polar disorders. Mr. Jackson is trying to excuse his malfeasance by claiming a mental disorder that cripples a large number of the population. Thanks, Mr. Jackson. You just set back years of acceptance.
Hey Junior..........take that corrupt dad of yours with you.
Calling Rev. Sharpton you are needed
Adam Clayton Powell. Marion Barry. Charles Rangel. Jesse Jackson Jr. Add one more to the ghetto politician hall of infamy.
CBC----Criminal Black Caucus??
Add Jefferson from Louisiana also. He was extremely stupid as well (But what can you expect from democrats?) as he was caught with the money in his freezer.
LOOKAHERE, I'm a registered Independent who voted for Obama. Thats got nothing to do with JACKSON betraying the trust of the people who voted for him to represent them in Congress. Gotta go..Gotta GOooo!!!!!!!!! And I don't mean just resign either. If he is guilty of slealing money and accepting monies..Then send his A.. to prison!!!!!! He and the ex gubner of Illinois can be cellmates!! Bipolar/one polar or whatever..he knew what he was doing. He wasn't bipolar when he took that money now was he?!!!!!!!!! Good luck congressman Jackson. If you need some protection while you are in prison...my cousins got the..hookup for you!!!!!!!!!!
Have no fear. Chicago has plenty of corrupt politicians to replace him. Hilarious that he was re-elected without campaigning and while facing charges. Lets you know what the people of that area really care about.
Like Texas huh