Leaders from a variety of Chicago-area suburbs are urging President Joe Biden to issue a pardon for former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. over a decade after he went to prison on charges of misusing campaign funds. The request comes weeks after Jackson’s father was honored at this year’s Democratic National Convention and reflects ongoing support for the Jackson family in Illinois and the Democratic Party.
The letter, dated Sept. 6, begins with the nine leaders stating, “As Mayors in the Chicago Southland, we are writing you to please consider a Presidential pardon for former Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.” The group of Chicago-area officials hail Jackson as someone who “represented our towns well while he was in office” as they “worked with him on a regular basis.” While acknowledging the severity of Jackson’s wrongdoings, they nonetheless uphold Jackson as a “decent man” who should not be judged solely on the basis of his mistake.
Misuse of campaign funds derailed Jackson’s career
In 2013, Jackson began a federal prison sentence after pleading guilty to charges of misusing $750,000 in campaign funds for personal uses. He and his wife were accused of living a lavish lifestyle with the funds, including electronic and jewelry purchases. He was released from prison after serving nearly two years; he finished the remainder of his 30-month sentence in a halfway house. Jackson’s then-wife Sandra Jackson was sentenced to one year in prison for filing false tax returns, a sentence she was allowed to defer until after Jackson was released; the former couple share two children.
A former Democratic rising star who still has supporters
Before resigning from Congress in 2012 amid health challenges and the campaign finance scandal, Jackson had a promising career within the Democratic Party. In addition to serving as a congressman since 1995, Jackson was also co-chair of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Even after his scandal, the current letter is the latest show of support for Jackson from Democrats over the years. His father, famed civil rights leader Jesse Jackson Sr., has advocated for his son. The elder Jackson, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, was recently honored during this year’s Democratic National Convention. Illinois Rep. Robin Kelly, who took over from Jackson Jr. as representative of Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, has also advocated for his pardon.
So far, Biden has issued relatively few presidential pardons. But with his time as president ending in January, advocates for Jackson Jr. and other clemency-seekers appear hopeful that Biden will step up his use of the pardon power before he leaves office.
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