First Blagojevich Trial, a Gift that Keeps on Giving

A few weeks ago the Civil Rights Leader, Reverend Jessie Jackson was in the Motor City(Detroit) for a speaking and engagement and found himself situation which warranted the response: "Dude, Where's my car?"

Jesse Jackson's car stolen in Detroit

Several Detroit media outlets reported thieves stole Jackson’s ride — a 2009 Cadillac Escalade — from a parking lot near the city’s Doubletree Hotel.

The SUV was later recovered, but it was found without its rims and one of its windows had been broken, according to Detroit’s WXYZ-TV.

In a similar twist of fate, his son, Illinois Congressmen, Jessie Jackson Jr., is in a situation which warrants the response: "Dude, what happened to my integrity." It turns out Jackson Jr. may be another politician caught in the dragnet better known as the Blagojevich Corruption Scandal. His name came up a lot leading up to the trial and he spoke with such benediction about his innocence and ignorance of any scheme between his people and the former governor's about Presenident, Barack Obama's, former Senate seat. However, that looks to be changing as the heat looks to be upon his back again?

Jackson Jr. denies report about Blagojevich funds

This time, however, the allegations include a contention by businessman Raghuveer Nayak to the FBI that Jackson himself told Nayak, a month before Obama's election, to offer Blagojevich a total of $6 million in exchange for the Senate seat.

On a local Chicago radio station, WLS's "Don and Roma Show," Congressman Jackson called out the government in a fashion similar to Rod Blagojevich over a year earlier.

"I assume that (prosecutors) have no evidence or they should have brought a charge," he said on the program. "If I'm a conspirator — bring it on. But I can't possibly be a conspiracy to that which I am not a part of or have no knowledge of."

news.yahoo.com...

Blagojevich stood up to the Federal Government, and beckoned them to come after him in which they did. He now faces one conviction from the original trial for lying to the FBI, and a retrial of other charges by the government because of that lone conviction. There is a saying, "When you mess with the bull, you are bound to get the horns." It happened to Blagojevich, and Jessie Jr. may be next?

To add further insult to injury for the good congressmen from Illinois, he may be facing congressional ethical violations and having a tryst with a DC barmaid. The incident was brought into question by none other than Rughuveer Najak, and the man with whom he is alleged to concoct the deal with the Blagojevich people about the Senate seat.

Rep. Jackson: I did nothing wrong but 'deeply sorry' over 'social acquaintance'

Sources said Nayak also told authorities that Jackson asked him to pay to fly a Washington, D.C., restaurant hostess named Giovana Huidobro — described as a “social acquaintance” of the Democratic congressman — to Chicago to visit him. Nayak did so twice, according to the sources.

Jackson didn’t address Nayak’s allegation involving payment for those flights, which could raise ethical questions under the U.S. House of Representatives’ gift ban act.

He called this woman a 'social acquaintance,' but it appears to be a lot like an affair? However, I care not about his personal trysts or whom he has sexual relations with, but I do care if he knowingly violated congressional ethics rules. It seems he may have spoke with a forked tongue about this latest scandal as well?

Having a third party pay for flights at a congressman’s request and not reporting the value of those flights as a gift, if they were worth more than $50, would appear to be “something of value” under the House’s gift ban, according to an expert on the act.

“It defines ‘gift’ as any ‘item having monetary value,’ ” Kathleen Clark, a professor at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis said, quoting from the law. “ ‘The term includes gifts of . . . transportation . . . A gift to . . . any . . . individual based on that individual’s relationship with the Member . . . shall be considered a gift to the Member . . if it is given with the knowledge and acquiescence of the Member.’ ”

Jackson did not disclose the gift from Nayak on his House ethics statements or on federal campaign contribution logs.

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I am seeing a pattern concerning the congressman's candor and integrity, and these allegations are troubling if they are true. They apparently are, because Nayak would not have told a lie to the FBI or he would have been charged like former governor, Rod Blagojevich. On another more sobering note, this guy is up for re-election in November and is planning on running for mayor of the City of Chicago as power vacuum ensues to fill "The Boss," Mayor Richard Daley's, seat as mayor.

Earlier this month, the often scandal clad Mayor Daley, who has been mayor since 1989, made the ground breaking announcement that he would be riding off in the sunset. His departure is amid one the biggest budget deficits the city has ever had in its history, and to the tune of over a half a billion dollars. There are scores of people toying with the idea of running for mayor, and among them, another Blagojevich trial luminary, Presidential Chief-of-Staff, Rahm Emanuel. The state and city of corruption continues to spew that putrid slime it has became known for. This another gift for all the political insiders and journalists to sink their teeth in as the gift known as the Blagojevich Corruption Trial continues to keep on giving.