By Debbie Schlussel
ABC News is reporting that Candidate #5, in the indictment of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, is Son of Jesse a/k/a Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. As I’ve repeatedly written on this site, Jesse, Jr. was likely to get the seat, though I didn’t know it was because he agreed to pay to play. I’m not surprised though.

According to the FBI affidavit in the case, Blagojevich “stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH” with something “tangible up front.”
Jackson Jr. said this morning he was contacted yesterday by federal prosecutors in Chicago who he said “asked me to come in and share with them my insights and thoughts about the selection process.”
Jackson Jr. said “I don’t know” when asked if he was Candidate #5, but said he was told “I am not a target of this investigation.”

Like Father, Like Son: Jesse Jackson, Sr. & Jr. a/k/a “Candidate #5”
Oh, he knows he’s Candidate #5, just as sure as Gov. Elliot Spitzer knew he was Client #9.

Jackson Jr. said he agreed to talk with federal investigators “as quickly as possible” after he consults with a lawyer. . . .
“It is impossible for someone on my behalf to have a conversation that would suggest any type of quid pro quo or any payments or offers,” Jackson Jr. told ABC News. “An impossiblity to an absolute certainty.”

Uh-huh.

“Senate Candidate #5” played a key role in the Governor’s efforts to obtain something of value in exchange for the Senate appointment, according to the FBI affidavit.

And neither is Reader/Blogger There is NO Santa Claus. He and his wife grew up in Chicago, and he repeats the trite but true, “Timing is Everything.”
In this case, TINSC questions why the FBI pounced on Blagojevich before Candidate #5 a/k/a Jesse, Jr. got his meeting and the chance to take action and provide more incriminating evidence that he was prepared to undertake the bribery. TINSC says the feds are protecting Jesse, Jr., and I agree–it sure looks that way. Why wasn’t Jesse, Jr. arrested and indicted, too?

Well… it seems that the very NEXT scheduled interview for the vacated U.S. Senate seat was none other than Jessie Jackson Jr. Jr. has kept his nose clean in Chicago politics for 12 years as a Congressman; an admirable record, I might add.
With the Feds wiretapping Gov. B’s solicitations for money in exchange for the appointment, Jessie Jr. would have become dirtied up in the affair.
Who knows! Maybe Jessie might even break and offer to pay up with the tape recorder on.
With a new boss coming to Washington D.C. any Chicago-based FBI agent knows he must prevent this; especially if he/she thinks Jessie Jr. is the new President’s favorite to fill his old job. That is why the FBI acted yesterday.

Look for Son of Jesse to get away with it, just like daddy always does. Justice isn’t blind at all. Our federal justice system sees things through very tinted, politically correct glasses.
Sleaze is an inherited gene in the Jackson family tree. Sadly, the FBI forgot the “I” when it came to Son of Jesse and prematurely pulled the plug on the surveillance. Deliberately.