Rep. Jackson's ailments 'more serious' than 'initially believed'By

[jobeterob]

Rep. Jackson's ailments 'more serious' than 'initially believed'By Laurie Ure, CNN Congressional Producer
updated 5:18 PM EDT, Thu July 5, 2012
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s illness is more serious than initially thought, his office says.STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s illness is more serious than initially thought, his office says
Jackson, receiving extended in-patient treatment, has long term "physical and emotional ailments"
Jackson has been on leave from Congress since June 10
Jackson, an Illinois Democrat, is the son of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson
Washington [[CNN) -- Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., on a leave of absence from Congress since early June, is suffering from a medical condition more serious than initially disclosed, his office revealed Thursday.

Jackson Communications Director Frank Watkins said in a written statement that the nine-term Illinois Democrat "is undergoing further evaluation and treatment at an in-patient medical facility." and "will need to receive extended in-patient treatment as well as continuing medical treatment thereafter."

Watkins declined a CNN request to elaborate on the specific nature of Jackson's ailment.

"Congressman Jackson's medical condition is more serious than we thought and initially believed. Recently, we have been made aware that he has grappled with certain physical and emotional ailments privately for a long period of time," Watkins wrote. "We ask that you keep Congressman Jackson and his family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult period."

Jackson, 47, has been on leave since June 10. At that time, Watkins said the lawmaker was being treated for exhaustion, and requested that the family's privacy be respected. Jackson's office will remain open for constituent services, the statement noted.

Jackson, the son of famed civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, represents the Illinois' Second Congressional District. The district includes parts of Chicago's South Side and the Cook County suburbs.

In March, Jackson decisively won a heated primary despite being the subject of an investigation by the House Ethics Committee. The ethics panel has been examining allegations Jackson or one of his associates offered to raise funds for disgraced former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in exchange for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.

Blagojevich, convicted on multiple corruption charges, started serving a 14-year prison sentence in March.

[chidrummer]

Most of what you hear around town is speculation and rumor. However, clinical depression keeps coming up often. The lid on this seems to be pretty tight. Of course, the other bet is on some form of substance abuse. We'll have to wait and see what's up.

[jobeterob]

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. for Congress 2012 campaign cycle

Raised 2011-2012 through June 30, 2012

RECEIPTS

Itemized Individual Contributions $603,863

Unitemized Individual Contributions $31,753

Party Committees Contributions $0

Other Committees Contributions $336,200

Candidate Contributions $0

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS $971,816

DISBURSEMENTS

Operating Expenditures $949,682

CASH ON HAND

Ending Cash On Hand $246,625

Source: FEC
Updated: July 15, 2012 8:10PM



WASHINGTON — It’s very premature to write off the political career of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. [[D-Ill.) — at an undisclosed location getting treated for a serious “mood disorder.” He has $246,625 in his political warchest as of June 30, a virtually unknown GOP opponent running in a heavily Democratic district with no political cash and a savvy top political strategist — his wife.

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“We haven’t hit the $5,000 mark yet,” GOP nominee Brian Woodworth told me Sunday.

Woodworth, an associate professor of criminal justice at Illinois Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, has not even raised or spent enough — $5,000 — to trigger having to file a report with the Federal Election Commission.

Even all the national attention on Jackson’s disappearance has not translated right away into political donations, Woodworth told me. “We haven’t had any money come in yet. We do have a number of promises,” he said.

Jackson has given Woodworth a gift — of free publicity to a political unknown. “He’s managed to give me more press then I can ever purchase,” because of the “mystery surrounding him,” Woodworth told me.

According to the latest campaign finance disclosures, due on Sunday, a firm run by Rep. Jackson’s wife, Ald. Sandi Jackson [[7th), continues to receive $5,000 a month. The firm, J. Donnatella and Associates, is based in Washington, D.C.

[soulster]

WASHINGTON — It’s very premature to write off the political career of Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. [[D-Ill.) — at an undisclosed location getting treated for a serious “mood disorder.”

It's been all over the news for days that he's in an Arizona treatment center for an emotional illness.