CHICAGO — U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. on Tuesday denied allegations that he directed a businessman to offer former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich millions of dollars in exchange for being appointed to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.
Jackson, who is weighing a run for Chicago mayor, has denied knowing about any offers made on his behalf ever since allegations first surfaced following Blagojevich’s 2008 arrest on charges he schemed to sell or trade the Senate appointment.
This time, however, the allegations include a contention by businessman Raghuveer Nayak to the FBI that Jackson himself told Nayak, a month before Obama’s election, to offer Blagojevich a total of $6 million in exchange for the Senate seat.
Jackson, a Chicago Democrat and son of civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson, issued a statement Tuesday calling Nayak’s allegation “preposterous” and reiterating that while he was interested in the Senate seat, he did not engage in “some improper scheme with anyone.”
Nayak’s allegation that Jackson told him on Oct. 8, 2008, to make the offer to Blagojevich was first reported Tuesday by the Chicago Sun- Times. Sheldon Sorosky, one of Blagojevich’s attorneys, confirmed Nayak’s statements.
Both FBI spokesman Ross Rice and U.S. attorney’s office spokesman Randy Samborn declined to comment Tuesday.
