Jesse Jackson Jr. Needs "Extended In-Patient Treatment"

By Chuck Sudo in News on Jul 6, 2012 2:00PM

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. isn't returning to work anytime soon. The congressman's staff said he'll need "extended" in-patient treatment for the exhaustion that forced his medical leave of absence from Congress.

A statement from Jackson's office read:

“Congressman Jackson’s medical condition is more serious than we thought and initially believed read a statement from his office released Thursday morning. Recently, we have been made aware that he has grappled with certain physical and emotional ailments privately for a long period of time.”

Jackson began his medical sabbatical June 10; his staff didn't make the announcement until June 25. Since then no details of his treatment have been released and yesterday's statement will only add to the speculation. At last week's City Council meeting Jackson's wife, Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th) would only say of her husband's condition "I love my husband very much" and that her first priority was to her children.

Jackson has had a very trying 2012. The House Ethics Committee is investigating Jackson regarding whether he violated House rules when he used campaign funds to fly a mistress to campaign functions. Robert Blagojevich, brother of imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, spoke with the House Ethics Committee about what he knew of Jackson's discussions to be appointed to the Senate seat vacated when Barack Obama was elected President.

In June Raghuveer Nayak, a former donor to Jackson's and Rod Blagojevich's campaigns, was charged with bribing doctors to send patients to his surgery centers. Nayak told Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown he was "always welcome in the Jackson home."

The timing of announcing Jackson's leave of absence has taken on an added significance. Jackson's spokesman Frank Watkins released the statement at 5 p.m. June 25, which coincidentally was also the deadline for independent candidates to file paperwork with the State Board of Elections to run against the congressman in the November general election. Watkins told the Tribune the timing was merely a coincidence.

Jackson also didn't file paperwork with Congress before he took his leave of absence because it isn't required.