Rep. Jonathan Jackson talks about denied request for father, Rev. Jesse Jackson, to lie in honor at U.S. Capitol
For the first time, Illinois Congressman Jonathan Jackson is speaking out about House Speaker Mike Johnson's decision denying the request for Jackson's late father, Rev. Jesse Jackson Jr., to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol.
Jackson's family asked to have the civil rights leader's remains lie in honor at the Capitol, multiple sources confirmed to CBS News. One source said the decision to deny their request was due to the fact that the ritual is typically reserved for select military and government officials, pointing to previous requests that were denied for other high profile figures, such as conservative activist Charlie Kirk and former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Johnson's office confirmed the decision to the Associated Press.
On Tuesday, Congressman Jackson told CNN, "it was a very uncomfortable position for me just advocating for my father."
"It's not that my father was a transformative political figure, and so I didn't want to belabor that. My father's done his earthly work, and so he deserves his rest, and I thought it'd have been good for the nation, but history will judge that," he said.
Memorial services for the late Rev. Jackson begin on Thursday in Chicago. He will lie in state at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters on Thursday and Friday.
On Monday, March 2, he will lie in state at the South Carolina Statehouse. Rev. Jackson was born in South Carolina.
Formal services also are planned next week in Washington, D.C., before Rev. Jackson's body will return to Chicago.
On Friday, March 6, A "People's Celebration" is scheduled for the House of Hope in the South Deering neighborhood, followed by a private "Homegoing Celebration" at Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters on Saturday, March 7.
