By Peter Slevin and Kari Lydersen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
CHICAGO, Dec. 16 -- Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) told federal investigators in Chicago that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) asked for a $25,000 campaign contribution during Blagojevich's 2002 run for governor and may have exacted retribution after he did not receive the money, a source close to Jackson said Tuesday.
The allegation surfaced as a special investigative committee of the Illinois House of Representatives began considering impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich and laid out procedures for reviewing charges against him.
Jackson, who has served in the U.S. House for 13 years, did not make the requested contribution, the source said. After Blagojevich won, Jackson's wife, Sandi Jackson, sought appointment as director of the Illinois state lottery director but failed to get the job.
Later, when Blagojevich and the congressman met at a function in Washington, D.C., according to the source, the governor referred to the campaign request, saying roughly this: "Well, I guess you wish you'd given me that $25,000 now."
Jackson spokesman Kenneth Edmonds said the Chicago congressman "has shared information with the U.S. attorney's office about public corruption in the state during the past several years."
Some of the information offered by Jackson was connected with Blagojevich and Illinois state government and some was not, Edmonds said. He said Jackson was not acting as an informant in a particular case.
In the state capital of Springfield, meanwhile, the head of the 21-member investigative committee, Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D), described the panel's procedures as akin to a grand jury process.
The committee delayed hearing witnesses or evidence until Wednesday, when defense attorney Edward Genson is scheduled to appear on Blagojevich's behalf.
The formation of the committee, made up of 12 Democrats and nine Republicans, was approved by the House in a unanimous vote Monday evening. The panel is to decide whether to recommend impeachment to the full House. Members are committed to working every day until they finish their work, except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Blagojevich has not commented publicly on the charges against him, but Genson said he has done nothing wrong and does not intend to resign.
"We're going to fight this case," the defense attorney told reporters.
The House decided to form the panel after federal authorities charged Blagojevich last week with corruption. Among the allegations made by prosecutors was that the governor attempted to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
Jackson has been identified as "Senate Candidate 5," one of several contenders allegedly being considered by Blagojevich for appointment to the seat in return for hefty campaign contributions or some other reward. According to a federal affidavit, Blagojevich said in an FBI-recorded conversation that an associate of Senate Candidate 5 offered to raise money for the governor if he appointed the candidate to serve the remaining two years of Obama's term.
Jackson has denied offering Blagojevich anything in return for the seat or authorizing anyone to make any such commitments on his behalf.
In a federal complaint, prosecutors also accused Blagojevich, 52, of pressuring the parent company of the Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers in return for state aid in the sale of the Wrigley Field baseball stadium.
Currie said the committee's progress might be delayed by U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald's request that it hold off on calling certain witnesses while the federal criminal investigation is proceeding. She said she asked Fitzgerald's office Monday to help her determine which witnesses can be called to testify at impeaching hearings without disrupting the federal probe.
The House committee has subpoena power, although members said it was unclear whether they would use it.
If the committee recommends impeachment, the House would then decide whether to file charges against him. If it did so, the state Senate would be responsible for holding a trial on the charges.
Panel members said they also plan to discuss matters that are not mentioned in the 78-page criminal complaint and supporting FBI affidavit unveiled last week. Among them are accusations of abuse of power, such as the governor's alleged purchase of flu vaccine without administrative authority.
Most committee members reiterated calls for the resignation of Blagojevich.
Members of both parties described the launching of the impeachment probe as a sad day for the state. It was the first time that the House had moved to impeach a state official in 175 years.
"I see no sense of glee in making history of this nature," said one longtime Blagojevich critic, state Rep. John Fritchey (D) of Chicago. "From the first time I heard the news I never smiled and said, 'Good, they got 'im.' Nothing gets accomplished by kicking someone when they're down. This makes all elected officials in Illinois look bad."
Currie stressed that the committee would give Blagojevich due process and would not hurry the investigation.
Rep. Arthur Turner (D) of Chicago said, "Let me remind you that 19 people have been exonerated in this state from Death Row because we rushed to justice."
Meanwhile, several lawmakers said that even if the governor is not found guilty of misconduct, the very existence of the criminal investigation could be enough to find him incapable of governing.
"Running a state is a hard thing to do," said Fritchey. "Running a state in an economic crisis is even harder. And running a state with 30 years hanging over your head is damn near impossible."
House members said social service agencies and individuals in their districts are suffering because of the paralysis of state government, exacerbating an existing fiscal crisis. State Rep. Jack Franks (D) said pharmacies and doctors in his northern Illinois district are refusing to accept Medicare patients because they won't get reimbursed.
State Rep. Constance Howard (D) of Chicago said agencies that serve people with HIV and the elderly are cutting services and closing their doors.
"Unfortunately, many of these small private nonprofit organizations depend on state funding, so when they don't have this revenue their existence is in danger," she said.
Lydersen reported from Springfield. Staff writer William Branigin contributed to this report.
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