Jesse Jackson Jr.
Jesse Jackson Jr. | |
|---|---|
%22%3E%3Ctext%20x%3D%2250%25%22%20y%3D%2250%25%22%20text-anchor%3D%22middle%22%20dominant-baseline%3D%22middle%22%20fill%3D%22%2354595d%22%20font-size%3D%2216%22%20font-family%3D%22sans-serif%22%3EOfficial%20portrait%2C%20c.%E2%80%892007%3C%2Ftext%3E%3C%2Fg%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E) Official portrait, c. 2007 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 2nd district | |
| In office December 12, 1995 – November 21, 2012 | |
| Preceded by | Mel Reynolds |
| Succeeded by | Robin Kelly |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jesse Louis Jackson Jr. March 11, 1965 |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Jesse Jackson (father) Jacqueline Brown (mother) |
| Relatives | Santita Jackson (sister) Jonathan Jackson (brother) |
| Education | North Carolina A&T State University (BS) Chicago Theological Seminary (MDiv) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (JD) |
| Criminal information | |
Criminal status | Released |
Criminal charge | Conspiracy to Steal Campaign Funds – Title 18, U.S.C., Sec. 371 |
Penalty | 30 months in federal prison |
Jesse Louis Jackson Jr. (born March 11, 1965) is an American former politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the U.S. representative for Illinois's 2nd congressional district from 1995 until his resignation in 2012. Before entering Congress, Jackson was active in the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and the Democratic National Committee. As a member of the House of Representatives, he served on the House Appropriations Committee and worked on a broad range of legislative issues.
In 2012, Jackson took a medical leave of absence and later resigned from Congress, citing bipolar II disorder and gastrointestinal problems. Following a federal investigation into his misuse of campaign funds, he pleaded guilty in 2013 to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. He completed his prison sentence in 2015.
In 2024, supporters unsuccessfully sought a presidential pardon for Jackson. He sought to return to Congress in the 2026 Democratic primary for Illinois's 2nd congressional district, but was defeated by Donna Miller.