ABC News: Jesse Jackson Jr. Is Candidate 5

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Dec 10, 2008 5:00PM

Yesterday, Mick Dumke at the Reader explored the possible identities of candidates named in the Blagojevich complaint, including Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Senate Candidate 5:

CLUES: According to the complaint, this person is "publicly reported to be interested in the open Senate seat"; the governor's purported interest in the candidate was also leaked to the Sun-Times. Blagojevich "was giving Senate Candidate 5 greater consideration for the Senate seat because, among other reasons, if ROD BLAGOJEVICH ran for re-election Senate Candidate 5 would 'raise money' for ROD BLAGOJEVICH. . . . Senate Candidate 5 was very much a realistic candidate for the open Senate seat, but . . . ROD BLAGOJEVICH was getting 'a lot of pressure' not to appoint Senate Candidate 5."

GUESS: Jesse Jackson Jr.

While there are two other possibilities we could think of for this one - Danny Davis and Emil Jones - Jackson fits so we'll go with Dumke's guess.

Now ABC News is jumping on the Jesse Bandwagon, citing unnamed sources as telling them Jackson is Candidate 5.

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."

We guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

Seth Perlman/AP Photo