Former 2nd District Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. may lose an estimated $45,000 in federal pension and could face up to five years in prison, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Reports indicate Jackson Jr. intends to plead guilty —money which he now must pay back along with some of the swag he’s collected over the years. His wife, former Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson, faces up to three years in prison for filing false tax returns for the past six years. She also plans on pleading guilty, the report says. Both Jackson’s could also each be fined up to $250,000.
The outcome of the court’s decision will be based on many factors, some of which help Jackson, such as his ongoing struggle with Bipolar II disorder and his willingness to plead guilty. Other issues may hinder him, such as the amount of time he had been misspending campign money and his former dealings with the currently imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. It is speculated that Sandi Jackson will see a less severe punishment, partly because of the couple's two children.
Get the rest of the story on the Chicago Tribune's website
I think what is truly sad is how those who want to identify with them (kind of like celebrities or athletes) can be taken in by the illusion of fame. In the end they were in it for themselves and the political system, which at one time held them up, crushed them. They should be held accountable for their actions and they shall be. However, the dysfunctional political system is alive and well. So are the unfortunates who continue to look to others to solve their problems and desperately try to escape the pain in their lives.
The clueless voters in the 2nd District would vote him in regardless of what he has done. BAAAAAAA