Jesse Jackson Jr. signs plea deal; judge to decide if he serves jail time

In this May 16, 2011 file photo, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. attends ceremonies for Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel in Chicago. Jackson has signed a plea deal, agreeing to plead guilty to misuse of campaign funds, CBS Chicago reports. / AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., has signed a plea deal with federal prosecutors, agreeing to plead guilty to misuse of campaign funds, CBS Chicago reports. The deal will let a federal judge decide whether Jackson serves jail time.

By agreeing to plead guilty to a single felony count, Jackson could serve up to five years in prison. The judge, however, may decide to sentence him with probation instead of jail time. The former congressman has also agreed to repay hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign funds, misspent over four years on things like redecorating his home and a $40,000 Rolex he bought for a female friend.

• CBS Chicago: Jackson Jr. Has Signed 'Blind Plea' Deal With Feds
• Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. resigns

As part of the agreement, the government demanded that Jackson give up his congressional seat, which he did in November, just a little more than two weeks after easily winning re-election.

The fate of Jackson's wife, former Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson, is still unclear, according to CBS Chicago. Investigators were scrutinizing whether Sandi Jackson -- who served as her husband's campaign manager and as a paid consultant for him -- was aware of or complicit in her husband's alleged misuse of campaign money. CBS Chicago reports there's no indication she'll be charged with anything besides co-signing tax returns that should have included taxes on Jesse's campaign funds converted to personal use.

While under investigation last year, Jackson also struggled with his mental health. He spent four weeks at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota over the summer in treatment for bipolar depression. In spite of his problems, Jackson last year won re-election in Illinois' second district, which he had represented since 1995, with 63 percent of the vote.

[Canadians-Are-Imbeciles]

Canadians-Are-Imbeciles says:
I'll be pleasantly surprised if a judge in Chicago gives this theif and all around scumbag like his daddy, jail time. reply
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LosAngelesCA replies
I like Canadians and think they are pretty smart. Considering their dollar has been at par with the US Dollar for quite some time, when the last time that happened was the 1970s, I think they are doing something right.
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What else is a transplanted Canuck to LA going to say like all the actors and stale left wing comedians.
If Canada was so great why did they come here in the first place and haven't went home?

Sorry about the double post.
Messed up my cutting and pasting!
Damn it!

[Type_Z]

I have worked with many Dr.s and surgeons who abandoned their country to work in the U.S. they had no one telling them when their work was done for year.

[SadieMae68]

deoppressoliber1964 says: Where are all the "bruthas and sistas" blaming Junior's crimes on the white man??

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That is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time!

"bruthas and sistas" LOL!

[Liberals_Always_Lie]

If Jackson Jr. were a Republican Congressman this would be a much higher profile story by CBS and the other hypocritical left wing media outlets. Maybe Jackson Jr. was just practicing to run for Governor of Illinois!

As it is, "like father, like son," Jackson Jr. simply stole money in a different fashion than do Jackson Sr. and the other so called civil rights leaders.

[LosAngelesCA]

Put him in jail. He really needs to learn a lesson. What bugs me is that he ran for office, got elected and then resigned quickly and the people in his Congressional district don't have representation in Washington because of him. He knew what he was doing was wrong and he thinks he should get special treatment. Why is he above the law? That would be the message of no jail time.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

Put him away and throw away the key.

[OPMikey]

No surprise here. Learned it all from is daddy. At least he can identify his daddy!

[cb1014]

It's not entirely his fault. He grew up seeing how his father used the system for personal benefit. LIke father like son.

[Meldemel]

Nonsense. There comes a time in human development when you develop a conscience and an identity separate from your parents. At this time you can decide to continue their ills or do better. I know of plenty of people who have chosen to be better people than their parents were. Choosing to follow in the footsteps of your egotistical parent is a choice and he should be held fully accountable. It might be an explanation, but it's not an excuse.

[blackfoot25]

I hope this sends a message to the young people who want to do public service, of how easy it is to take brides and mis use funds for personal gain, to say that lots of people take money and things from the government and get away with it goes without saying, to say that the banks, loan companies, senators, congresspersons, local government people take under the table money and trips and women and God only knows what else goes without saying, sorry to say that it is so easy to take stuff given to you as gifts or under the table money and they will get away with it, this man was caught and he his political life is over, his family and his friends will suffer for his mistakes, but just remember he is a little fish in a big pool of lies, thief and wrong doing and misuse of funds in America, my only hope is that the government goes after the Banks, Stock market crooks and the Federal government leaders, military leaders who steal and lie and take and get away with it daily, I can only hope.

[Jesus_to_ground_control]

Power corrupts Junior. Ask Senior about it.

[excop1949]

SO...HE'S GOING TO GO FROM "I AM SOMEBODY" TO "I AM ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS # __________?