The House Ethics Committee announced Friday that it will continue its investigation of Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., saying that initial findings from an initial review by another office found “probable cause” Mr. Jackson either directed someone to offer to raise funds in exchange for the U.S. Senate seat held by President Obama.
“There is probable cause to believe that Representative Jackson either (1) directed a third-party, most likely Mr. Raghuveer Nayak, to offer to raise money for Governor Blagojevich in exchange for appointing Representative Jackson to the Senate seat, or (2) had knowledge that Nayak would likely make such an offer once Representative Jackson authorized him to advocate on his behalf with Governor Blagojevich,” the committee said in a statement released Friday.
“Because former Governor Blagojevich, Nayak and Mr. Rajinder Bedi (another fundraiser) have declined to cooperate with the OCE investigation, and because the OCE cannot compel their cooperation, the OCE is unable to determine whether there is a substantial reason believe these allegations.”
The statement comes as ex-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is slated to attend a sentencing for his multiple corruption convictions later this month. Prosecutors have called for a sentence of 15 to 20 years in prison on his multiple corruption convictions for misusing the power of his office. Mr. Blagojevich’s attorneys have argued for leniency, calling Blagojevich “an intrinsically good, kind, and decent man.”
