Jesse Jackson Jr. is not a Part of the Blago Investigation…per se
December 10, 2008It seems Jr. and Sr. Jackson have lawyered up and are claim they are not a part of the Blago investigation. The Federal Prosecutor agrees with the Jackson assessment.
According to NBC News:
. . . Jackson Jr. was given a phone call from the U.S. Attorney’s Office the night before the governor was taken into custody, advising him that the arrest was imminent. Also, the congressman’s father, Jesse Jackson Sr., has retained legal council following the Blagojevich arrest.
Why would either Jr. or Sr. lawyer up? I believe the Prosecutor (Fitzgerald) when he acknowledges JJ Jr. is not a part of the Blago investigation. However, doesn’t the Federal Government have some interest in a Congressman who is promising to pay/raise seven figures for Blago in return for the vacant Senate seat? That is why I believe JJ Jr. will be a part of another investigation…his own. I suppose Fitzgerald could use JJ Jr. as leverage to turn on Blago in court, but I find that unlikely. It seems the Government has more than enough evidence without the assistance of Jr. to put Guv Blago behind bars (innocent until proven guilty of course). In my opinion JJ Jr. knows that. I see no other reason why he would have retained counsel before his rights are even read.
This is just going to be the tip of the iceberg. Illinois politics is on a short fuse and it is going to blow. More to follow
-reagan21
Maybe yes, maybe no. In this world, when you can easily be ruined when you are completely innocent of something, calling a lawyer is a good idea, especially in something this high profile. Sad but true.