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Jackson Jr. denies wrongdoing in Blagojevich affair
by Bill Healyand Daniel Lambert
Dec 10, 2008
James Foley/MEDILL
U.S Rep Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Chicago)
Bill Healy and Dan Lambert/MEDILL
U.S. Rep. Jackson Jr.'s (D-Chicago) lawyer responds to claims of wrongdoing in Blagojevich scandal.
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Blagojevich criminal complaintU.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s (D-Chicago) attorney said he assumed the congressman was Senate Candidate No. 5 identified in the complaint filed Tuesday against Gov. Rod Blagojevich but said his client has done nothing illegal.
According to the complaint, a representative of Senate Candidate No. 5 approached the governor about raising money in exchange for the senate seat.
“We were approached ‘pay to play,’” the governor allegedly said in a recorded conversation. “That, you know, he’d raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made him (Senate Candidate 5) a Senator.”
The conversation was recorded a week and a half after two bugs were planted in Blagojevich’s campaign office and two days after a tap was placed on his home phone.
Jackson noted that he has not been accused of misconduct, and he will meet with the U.S. Attorney’s office to talk about the senate selection process.
