by Jason Weintraub
Rep.
Jesse Jackson Jr. asked a political fund-raiser to offer then Gov. Rod
Blagojevich $6 million dollars in exchange for an appointment to
President Obama's former Senate seat.
Businessman Raghuveer Nayak 's allegations, first reported by the Sun-Times, counter Jackson Jr.'s public statements that he never authorized any deals to buy the Senate seat.
Nayak says Jackson instructed him to offer Blagojevich as much as $6 million for the seat -- $1 million from the Indian community and $5 million from a yet-to-be-held fund raiser that Jackson Jr. would organize.
The congressman's alleged involvement in the scheme was first revealed during the Blagojevich trial.
After the trial, Jackson Jr. said he was present during a meeting on Oct. 8, 2008 when the scheme was allegedly discussed, but that the businessmen involved were speaking "practically in Hindu."
Jackson Jr. is believed to be mulling a possible run for Chicago mayor.
He has not been charged with any crimes.
Last year Congress began an ethics investigation into Jackson Jr. but suspended the inquiry at the request of federal authorities who said it could interfere with the Blagojevich trial.
Rep.
Jesse Jackson Jr. asked a political fund-raiser to offer then Gov. Rod
Blagojevich $6 million dollars in exchange for an appointment to
President Obama's former Senate seat.Businessman Raghuveer Nayak 's allegations, first reported by the Sun-Times, counter Jackson Jr.'s public statements that he never authorized any deals to buy the Senate seat.
Nayak says Jackson instructed him to offer Blagojevich as much as $6 million for the seat -- $1 million from the Indian community and $5 million from a yet-to-be-held fund raiser that Jackson Jr. would organize.
The congressman's alleged involvement in the scheme was first revealed during the Blagojevich trial.
After the trial, Jackson Jr. said he was present during a meeting on Oct. 8, 2008 when the scheme was allegedly discussed, but that the businessmen involved were speaking "practically in Hindu."
Jackson Jr. is believed to be mulling a possible run for Chicago mayor.
He has not been charged with any crimes.
Last year Congress began an ethics investigation into Jackson Jr. but suspended the inquiry at the request of federal authorities who said it could interfere with the Blagojevich trial.
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