Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.: Didn't try to cut deal for Obama's Senate seat

"I never sent a message or an emissary to the governor to make an offer, plead my case or propose a deal about a U.S. Senate seat, period"

CHICAGO, Ill. (MCT) - U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., said Wednesday he did not try to cut a pay-to-play deal with Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich to get the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

"I never sent a message or an emissary to the governor to make an offer, plead my case or propose a deal about a U.S. Senate seat, period," Jackson said at a Washington news conference.

Earlier Wednesday, Jackson's lawyer, James Montgomery Sr., said he thinks the Chicago congressman is "Senate Candidate 5" in federal court documents in the case against Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Montgomery said his view that Jackson is "Senate Candidate 5" is based on a reading of the affidavit and a conversation with federal authorities.

Jackson said he "looks forward" to cooperating completely with federal authorities. "I am not a target of this investigation and I am not accused of any misconduct," said Jackson, who did not take questions, citing the ongoing federal probe.

Jackson also blasted Blagojevich, who was arrested Tuesday by the FBI on political corruption charges, including allegations he tried to sell the U.S. Senate seat. Jackson called for Blagojevich to resign.

"I thought mistakenly that the governor was going to make a decision" that's best for the state as well as our nation, Jackson said about Blagojevich's U.S. Senate selection process. "I thought mistakenly I had a chance and was being considered because I had earned it."

Jackson said he met with Blagojevich on Monday for the first time in four years with the intention of discussing the Senate vacancy.

"Despite what he may have been looking for, that's all I had to offer," Jackson said. At a Chicago news conference, Montgomery said Jackson "absolutely" remains interested in the U.S. Senate opening but conceded any selection at this point "may very well be tainted."

A lengthy government affidavit filed with the criminal complaint against Blagojevich refers to a Senate Candidate 5 who was under on-again, off-again consideration by the governor as a replacement for Obama in the Senate.

The affidavit quotes Blagojevich from a surveillance recording as describing an approach by an emissary of Candidate 5 who had promised to raise upwards of $1 million for Blagojevich if Candidate 5 secured the Senate seat.

On Oct. 31, according to the affidavit, Blagojevich described an approach by an associate of Senate Candidate 5. "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million, if I made (Senate Candidate 5) a senator," Blagojevich allegedly said.

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Last week, according to the affidavit, Blagojevich told an adviser that he was giving greater consideration to Senate Candidate 5 because that person could raise money for Blagojevich if he ran for re-election and perhaps kick in "some (money) upfront" as well. And Blagojevich was recorded as saying that he was going to meet with Senate Candidate 5 in the next few days, the affidavit said.

Last week, Jackson told the Chicago Tribune that he had recently reached out to Blagojevich confidant John Wyma as well as the governor's patronage chief, Victor Roberson, to discuss the Senate job. The Tribune reported last week that Wyma has been cooperating with the federal corruption probe of Blagojevich.

Blagojevich allegedly told one of his fundraisers to pass a message to someone identified in the affidavit only as Individual D, whom Blagojevich believed to be close to Senate Candidate 5: If Candidate 5 was to land the Senate seat, "some of this stuff's gotta start happening now ... right now ... and we gotta see it. You understand?"

Of the affidavit, Montgomery said: "Even if you read that in its worst light, it was an assumption on the part of Blagojevich that his operatives had sought to induce someone who he believes to be as associate of the congressman to engage in a quid pro quo for the Senate seat."

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