Pleading guilty, Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife took responsibility for misusing campaign funds and federal tax fraud. They will be sentenced on July 3, 2013. Jesse Jackson Jr. will receive 4 years and Sandi will receive 18 months. Was the Judicial System lenient in sentencing them? Some people don’t think the judicial system was lenient enough. Businessmen, clergymen, community members, and lawyers gave good character references for the Jackson’s. In his deliberation for sentencing, I am reasonably sure the judge was influenced by these references.
As a former court room bailiff, I heard many defendants say, “But judge, I didn’t know what I done was against the law!” The judge would respond saying, “Ignorance of the law is no defense for committing a crime.”
“Some rich people feel that they don’t have to suffer the consequences for their actions because they are privileged, “said Frieda Saffold of North Lawndale.
Jesse Jackson Jr. was a Congressman, his wife was an alderman and lawyer, and they are privileged. They broke the law. Yet, some “privileged people” in their community think the Jackson’s should be given probation or set free.
If misusing campaign funds and federal tax fraud had happened “back in the day” when corrupt politicians reigned, the Jacksons’ would have gone free because they are privileged.
Times have changed. Today… “when you dance, you have to pay the fiddler.”
The Jacksons’ cooperated with the court, showed remorse, and the judge was lenient compared to Governors Ryan (6 ½ years) and Blagojevich (14 yrs) sentences.
The Jackson’s had good lawyers and a good defense strategy. Jesse Jackson Jr. saved the day when he agreed to cooperated with the prosecutors and manned up.
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- Jesse Jackson, Jr., Requests Prison Time Ahead of Wife(blackchristiannews.com)
