Illinois Democrat lawbreakers

usamamasan1

Here's one



To the SLAMMER!

Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to charges that he spent $750,000 in campaign cash on personal items.

The Illinois Democrat faces up to five years in prison, but guidelines recommend slightly less. Sentencing has been set for June 28.

“I truly understand the consequences of my actions and of the preceding,” Jackson said through tears. “I did these things. … I used money that should have been used for my campaign.”

Federal prosecutors say Jackson, who resigned from Congress in November amid the investigation and health issues, used campaign money to buy items including a $43,350 gold-plated men's Rolex watch and $9,587.64 worth of children's furniture.

He and his wife, Sandra, had agreed to plead guilty in deals with federal prosecutors. Jackson's guilty plea was to a conspiracy charge.

His wife is due in court later on a charge of filing false joint federal income tax returns for the years 2006 through 2011 that knowingly understated the income the couple received.

Jackson told the judge that he had been hospitalized for psychological issues. The whole hearing lasted about 50 minutes.

The Jacksons were appearing separately before U.S. District Judge Robert L. Wilkins in Washington, D.C. Jackson's wife spent $5,150 on fur capes and parkas, court documents said.

When prosecutors charged the couple last Friday, the ex-congressman said he fully accepts the responsibility for the improper decisions and mistakes he has made. Tom Kirsch, an attorney for Jackson's wife, said she has signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors and would plead guilty to one tax count.

The conspiracy charge against the former congressman carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and other penalties.

The charge against Sandra Jackson carries a maximum of three years in prison. However, one of her lawyers, Tom Kirsch, says the plea agreement "does not contemplate a sentence of that length." Sandra Jackson was a Chicago alderman before she resigned last month during the federal investigation.

In court papers filed against Jackson on Friday, prosecutors said that upon conviction he must forfeit $750,000, plus tens of thousands of dollars' worth of memorabilia items and furs. The memorabilia includes a football signed by U.S. presidents, a Michael Jackson fedora, and memorabilia of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Jimi Hendrix and Bruce Lee -- all from a company called Antiquities of Nevada.

As the hearing for Jackson got under way Wednesday, newly filed court papers disclosed that the judge had offered to disqualify himself from handling the cases against Jackson and his wife.

As a Harvard Law School student, Wilkins said he had supported the presidential campaign of Jackson's father, civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, and that as an attorney in 1999, Wilkins had been a guest on a show hosted by Jackson's father.

In the newly filed court papers, prosecutors and lawyers for both Jesse Jackson Jr. and Sandra Jackson said they were willing to proceed with the cases with Wilkins presiding. Judicial ethics require that a judge disqualify himself if his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.

Jason P

I bet he would still get 85% of the vote in his district if his name showed up on the ballot while he is serving his time in the Illinois Governor's Retirement Home.

mikepegg44

Jason P wrote:

I bet he would still get 85% of the vote in his district if his name showed up on the ballot while he is serving his time in the Illinois Governor's Retirement Home.

...probably

cincybearcat

I'm shocked.

hedonist

Regardless of party, I'm sick of this shit going on.

How do people go about their daily lives, sleep nice n snug, knowing they're thieves? Just don't care, I guess.

Shame on these two scumbags. I hope they serve as much time as possible.

81

well, with former governer ryan getting out, we did have an empty cell for a politican.

scum bags, the lot of them.

81

Jason P wrote:

I bet he would still get 85% of the vote in his district if his name showed up on the ballot while he is serving his time in the Illinois Governor's Retirement Home.

very likely.

last year, there was a state rep under indictment for taking bribes.....he easily won his prelim....with the backing of the dem's.

hedonist

Sure hope you're wrong, Jason P.

Then again......
:wave:

Cosmo

Campaign financing needs to be fixed.
The proper way to do it was to accept the $750,000.00 he spent on goods as 'gifts' from his 'fans'... like telling the lobbyists (through his Super Pac) that he 'admires' gold plated Rolex watches... or that his children 'could use' new furniture... you know... like every other policitician does.
That way, he would have been operating within the laws that Congress creates... would have the Rolecx and furniture... and not be going to jail.

josevolution

Both sides brake the law all the time nothing new here ...

Cosmo

josevolution wrote:

Both sides brake the law all the time nothing new here ...

...
Actually, Congress makes it so they can get rich legally. This guy was just a dumbshit that didn't follow Congresses rules to spend campaign funds without breaking any laws... like the rest of Congress.

gimmesometruth27

jackson jr is guilty. that is probably why he was suffering from the mental illness that he had to go to mayo clinic for. living a lie and carrying around that kind of guilt is not good for anyone. hope he gets a long sentence and hope that he gets the help that he needs.

hedonist

Cosmo wrote:

josevolution wrote:

Both sides brake the law all the time nothing new here ...

...
Actually, Congress makes it so they can get rich legally. This guy was just a dumbshit that didn't follow Congresses rules to spend campaign funds without breaking any laws... like the rest of Congress.

Damn, this is sad, when seen in its fullness.

And what's worse is this is one little blip in the puke that has become (most of) our government.

Loopholes, baby!

I don't know this man's background, lifewise or brainwise - but what kind of mental illness causes one (and his wife too! Whatta coincidence) to methodically steal from those who gave, to think a fucking watch and furniture were worth sacrificing honor.

Prince Of Dorkness

If you're looking for someone to try to defend him... You won't find one.

We need to weed those out.

But let's drop this silly "democrat law breakers" thing. We can easily find just as many republican crooks. The governor of Florida, for instance... And why is it nobody seems to care about that?

pandora

Material things are all important to some. A young man was shot dead here for his shoes,
his fuckin shoes.
It's hard to believe the choices Jesse Jr. made, he had a promising future,
though in his father's shadow.

And the killer who wanted those fuckin shoes, maybe he had nothing to lose
but those shoes.

mikepegg44

Prince Of Dorkness wrote:

But let's drop this silly "democrat law breakers" thing. We can easily find just as many republican crooks. The governor of Florida, for instance... And why is it nobody seems to care about that?

there is an entire thread on the shitty things republicans do...I think it is okay to have one about lawmakers from a state that is notoriously corrupt in local and state politics.

cincybearcat

mikepegg44 wrote:

Prince Of Dorkness wrote:

But let's drop this silly "democrat law breakers" thing. We can easily find just as many republican crooks. The governor of Florida, for instance... And why is it nobody seems to care about that?

there is an entire thread on the shitty things republicans do...I think it is okay to have one about lawmakers from a state that is notoriously corrupt in local and state politics.

No kidding. Though, it's probably better to drop both.

JimmyV

mikepegg44 wrote:

Prince Of Dorkness wrote:

But let's drop this silly "democrat law breakers" thing. We can easily find just as many republican crooks. The governor of Florida, for instance... And why is it nobody seems to care about that?

there is an entire thread on the shitty things republicans do...I think it is okay to have one about lawmakers from a state that is notoriously corrupt in local and state politics.

Agreed. Corruption is certainly a bipartisan issue!