The Illinois lawmaker's deal with the feds may include jail time.
Though Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. won re-election last week, ethics issues will likely force him to resign from the House of Representatives and serve time in jail, and that's not sitting well with people who voted for him.
"To slap us in the face now, you just lied to us. You just lied to us. I feel so betrayed," Alderman Carrie Austin told NBC Chicago last week.
Jackson, who is currently back at the Mayo Clinic for treatment of bipolar disorder, diagnosed earlier this year, is reportedly negotiating a plea agreement for misuse of campaign funds to decorate his Washington, D.C., home and purchase a $40,000 Rolex watch for a female friend.
The deal would include his resignation from Congress for health reasons, a guilty plea of misusing campaign funds and some jail time. In addition, he could have to give up some of his government pension, CBS Chicago reports.
The negotiations are expected to conclude by the end of the year. If Jackson does reach a plea agreement, a special election would be held to fill his seat.
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(Photo: REUTERS/Yuri Gripas)
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