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| FILE - In this March 20, 2012 file photo, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill. speaks in Chicago. A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner says he has received letter of resignation from Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. Wednesday. |
CHICAGO (AP)
-- Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. quietly resigned Wednesday, effectively ending
a once-promising political career months after the civil rights icon's
son went on a mysterious medical leave while facing separate federal
investigations.
Just two weeks after voters
re-elected him to a ninth full term, Jackson sent his resignation letter
to House Speaker John Boehner, citing his ongoing treatment for bipolar
disorder and admitting "my share of mistakes."
The
House Ethics Committee is investigating his dealings with imprisoned
ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and for the first time Jackson
publicly acknowledged reports of a new federal probe believed to be
looking into his possible misuse of campaign money.
"I
am aware of the ongoing federal investigation into my activities and I
am doing my best to address the situation responsibly, cooperate with
the investigators, and accept responsibility for my mistakes," he wrote,
adding "they are my mistakes and mine alone."
Jackson,
47, disappeared in June, and it was later revealed that he was being
treated at the Mayo Clinic for bipolar disorder and gastrointestinal
issues. He returned to his Washington home in September but went back to
the clinic the next month, with his father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson,
saying his son had not yet "regained his balance."
Attempts
by The Associated Press to locate Jackson were unsuccessful Wednesday,
and family members either declined to comment or could not be reached.
Jackson
first took office in 1995 after winning a special election in a largely
urban and Democratic district and began his career in Washington with a
star power and pedigree that set him apart from his hundreds of other
House colleagues.
But despite high
expectations, he largely went unnoticed as a policymaker. Instead, he
gained a reputation for quixotic pursuits such as trying to impeach
President George W. Bush and push through constitutional amendments that
had no chance.
He attended an elite private
school in Washington and earned a law degree and a master's in theology.
Over the years he bragged about spending his 21st birthday in jail
after being arrested in an anti-apartheid protest, co-authored books
with his father and developed his own a charismatic speaking style, with
near perfect diction and often punctuated by finger pointing.
Shortly
after taking office, he was deemed People magazine's Sexiest Politician
in 1997 and became one of the most outspoken and most quoted liberals
in the House. There was a near- Hollywood buzz over his svelte new
figure in 2005 when he quietly dropped 50 pounds, disclosing months
later that he had had weight-loss surgery.
Perhaps
his shining moment as a Democratic leader was in 2008, when Jackson
served as the national co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign.
He had his sights set on U.S. senator or Chicago's mayor.
Then came Blagojevich.
Though
never charged, Jackson had to repeatedly dodge allegations that he was
involved in discussions about raising campaign funds for the
now-imprisoned former governor in exchange for an appointment to Obama's
vacated U.S. Senate seat.
Jackson - who
testified at Blagojevich's second corruption trial - always maintained
that he was innocent and that his name would be cleared. Though through
the proceedings it was revealed that Jackson had an extramarital affair,
something his wife detailed in a front-page newspaper interview.
The congressman kept a low profile for years, avoiding interview requests and avoiding public appearances.
It
wasn't until this year that glimpses of Jackson's former self emerged.
He was forced to campaign seriously for the first time in years when
former Rep. Debbie Halvorson put up an intense primary challenge. He
easily won and gave a triumphant victory speech with his wife and
children by his side.
Neither Jackson's family
nor staff ever fully explained what was happening with the
congressman's health or if he'd return at all. A few times, staff seemed
optimistic and so did voters in his Chicago-area district where he
easily won re-election to a ninth full term this month despite, despite
his only communication with voters coming through a robocall where he
asked for patience.
The timing of Jackson's
leave and the way it was handled invited more scrutiny. Jackson's leave
was announced just after a former fundraiser connected to the
Blagojevich allegations was arrested on unrelated medical fraud charges.
Reaction to his resignation was swift.
Democratic
Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that she'd spoke with both
Jesse Jackson Jr. and his father Wednesday afternoon and accepted the
news with "great sadness."
The vacancy left by
Jackson's departure creates a rare opportunity for someone else to
represent his district, which is made up of South Side Chicago
neighborhoods, several southern suburbs and some rural areas.
Even
before the resignation the gambit of potential successors floated
around Chicago. Prominent Chicago attorney Sam Adam Jr., a onetime
attorney for Blagojevich and R&B singer R. Kelly, said he'd be
interested.
Other names circulating are Chicago Aldermen Sandi Jackson
and Anthony Beale, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and
Halvorson.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, a
Democrat, has five days to schedule an election to replace Jackson after
he receives official notice, and the election must be held within 115
days, according to election officials.
