The retrial of Rod Blagojevich is putting more people than just the chatty ex-governor on the defensive.
The Chicago Sun-Times on Monday reported that U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) adamantly denied that he had fundraisers offer Blago about $1 million in campaign contributions in exchange for getting the Senate seat vacated by President Obama. He made his statement after attending inauguration ceremonies for Mayor Emanuel and the new city council.
“I’ve committed and participated in no such scheme. It’s been a thorough investigation. And I think the investigation has revealed that,” Jackson said, according to the Sun-Times.
Jackson said he had no idea why an Indian businessmen Rajinder Bedi made the offer to the Blagojevich camp, and insisted he did not act on his direction.
Last week, fund-raiser and onetime state worker Rajinder Bedi testified in trial that fundraising and the senate seat were discussed at a breakfast on Oct. 28, 2008 with Jackson and another fund-raiser, Raghu Nayak, the Sun-Times reported.
That same day, Bedi met with the Blagojevich camp and offered $1 million in exchange for the senate appointment, the Sun-Times reported.
