Jackson: Never Okayed Any Deal Anytime for Seat

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.) said that he never authorized any efforts to make an arrangement with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) to secure his nomination of the Senate, saying in a press conference he is not a target of any federal investigation.

“I want to make this fact plain: I reject and denounce pay to play politics and have no involvement whatsoever in any wrongdoing,” Jackson said, adding that he met with Blagojevich for the first time in four years on Monday to make his case to fill Illinois Senate vacancy.

“Despite what he may have been looking for, that’s all i had to offer, and that’s all that we discussed,” Jackson told reporters. “Clearly, I was badly mistaken. I did not know the process had been corrupted.”

Jackson said he has spoken with the U.S. Attorney’s office, and was informed that he is not a target of investigation. Jackson did reveal, however, that he has retained the advice of legal counsel in the ongoing investigation into allegations that Blagojevich sought donations in exchange for a Senate appointment.

Jackson had been named as “Senate Candidate 5” in a criminal complaint against the governor yesterday. That candidate had seemed willing to bend to Blagojevich’s demands and secure financial or political favors in return for the appointment.