CHICAGO - Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr (IL-2) is asking voters in his southside Chicago district to put him back into office, although a robo call to his district constituents makes it clear his medical leave will last indefinitely.
This ABC7 News report ignores the reported new FBI investigations into how he spent taxpayer funds that were meant to be used for his Congressional office expenses. Jackson was also tightly wound up in the Blagojevich investigation, with allegations that it was Jesse Jackson Jr that offered to raise $1.5 million for Blagojevich in exchange for Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat. The report does mention Jackson's robocall language:
Brian Woodworth, Republican candidate for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District, will hold a press conference Sunday, October 21st, at noon at the 10th Ward Republican Office, 13538 S. Brandon, Chicago, IL, in response to Jackson's robocall.
When redistricting, the Democrats divided Will County up into four districts - Bobby Rush's 1, Jesse Jackson Jr's 2, Dan Lipinski's 3 and Judy Biggert's 11th. Adam Kinzinger, who used to represent the Will County area is now further north. The Democrats added a large portion of southern Will County to Jackson's 2nd District , increasing the number of potential Republican votes in the district.
“Congressman Jackson has finally reached out to his constituents through a robocall, in which he asks for patience and sympathy," a statement from Woodworth said late Saturday night. "We have been sympathetic towards him and prayed for his recovery from his condition. But there have been few times as critical as right now for our district to have representation, as our leaders search for answers to our economic crisis.
“As we wait for the Congressman to return, we have no voice. And now the Congressman is saying he has no answer about when he will return. When Congress reconvenes, it will be deciding the fate of our nation. It will be formulating a budget. It will be deciding appropriations. It will be weighing out where federal money will be best spent to push our nation out of its crisis.
“And if Jackson is re-elected, we will continue to have no voice. There will be no one to stand and advocate for the critical decisions needed to get our economy rolling, and no one to negotiate for the needs of the district," Woodworth said.
Woodworth said the people of the 2nd CD have a right to have a voice in Congress during a time when historic needs are mounting in Jackson's district.
“A vote for Jackson at this time will not be a show of sympathy; it will be a vote towards marginalization and disenfranchisement. A vote for Jackson is a vote against your right to be heard in government. Are you willing to stand in silence and watch your community be left behind at this most critical time for the nation? I sincerely hope not.
“Pray for Jackson’s health and recovery but give him time to recover outside of the strain of high elected office. Do the right thing for the district and vote for a person who is capable of advocating for the 2nd Congressional District—Brian Woodworth.”
