Jesse Jackson Jr. wants disability pay, report says (in return for stepping down)

[cali]

Jesse Jackson Jr. wants disability pay, report says

As a federal investigation into his alleged campaign finance misconduct continues, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) is willing to give up his congressional seat provided he also receives a disability package upon leaving, according to a new report.


The disability package might be his only source of income, Chicago Fox affiliate reported Wednesday night citing unnamed sources. No terms of the package were reported.

Last week, reports surfaced that Jackson was in plea talks with federal authorities in connection with allegedly using campaign money to furnish his home and buy a $40,000 Rolex watch for a female friend.

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Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83909.html#ixzz2CJmANi6V

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. a bribe, by any other name stinks as sour and rancid.

[russspeakeasy]

7. Well said.

[PoliticAverse]

2. Who does he think he is, a corporate CEO ? n/t

[montanacowboy]

3. The State may be picking up the cost of his disability

while he sits in jail.

I am getting just a little more than sick of JJJR - he bought a $40,000 Rolex for a female friend?

[MADem]

4. Is this customary? I thought the retirement package for Hill members was pretty much cast in stone

--not "negotiable." You do "x" number of years, you qualify for the pension plan.

I haven't kept up--but this would not be SOP in past years.

Does he have any disability insurance? That might be the solution for him, provided it's a policy that doesn't exclude mental illnesses.

Appropriations would have to vote him his "package," would they not, assuming this isn't part and parcel of legislators' pay package benefits?

[cali]

8. Is the retirement package forfeit if he cops a plea with gov't?

[MADem]

13. I think it's down to time served--I think it's 12 years to be vested in the retirement

system on the hill as a member of Congress...but I am not sure. I don't think they get the cash straightaway, either.

[Caroline-Vivienne]

5. Just......no

This leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[LiberalLoner]

6. If he is bipolar that would account for all

His strange behavior and also could mean it will be impossible for him to work.

As someone who has mental illness (chronic depression and PTSD) I am so tired of people acting like mental illness is not REAL illness.

[cali]

10. no, it would not.

corruption is not a byproduct of bipolar disorder.

[LiberalLoner]

11. I admit I don't know any of the details, so I shouldn't have spoken. But I wanted to say, mental

illness is real and it's not a joke. And sometimes those of us with mental illness aren't thinking straight, especially under a lot of stress.

[monmouth3]

9. Who is he buying a $40K Rollex for that is not his wife? n/t

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. If he's claiming a disability, it should be a medical issue

Let the doctors decide.