Reply #11: Congressional Panel Opens Ethics Inquiry Into Rep. Jackson [View All]

[cali]

Source: NYT


CHICAGO — Representative Jesse L. Jackson Jr. of Illinois confirmed Wednesday that a Congressional ethics office had begun a preliminary inquiry into his efforts last fall to win appointment by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama.

Blagojevich, removed from office by the Illinois legislature in January, was indicted last week in a federal corruption case that includes charges that he sought to barter his appointment power for campaign contributions and other favors.

That Mr. Jackson is under preliminary inquiry in Congress was first reported Tuesday afternoon, on the Web site of The Chicago Sun-Times. In confirming the investigation Wednesday, Mr. Jackson, a Democrat from the city’s South Side, said he had done nothing wrong and was confident that the panel would dismiss the matter.

The Office of Congressional Ethics, which is conducting the review, began operations this year, and its questions about Mr. Jackson amount to its first known inquiry.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/us/politics/09jackson.html