Jesse Jackson Jr. Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison

Former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. was sentenced this morning to 30 months in prison for stealing $750,000 from his campaign to pay for flat-screen TVs, travel, dinners out and a slew of other personal expenses. The sentence was more than the 18 months requested by Jackson's lawyer, but less than the government's recommendation of four years in prison. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said the sentencing guidelines of 46 to 57 months would be "excessive," pointing to Jackson's cooperation with the government, history of service and letters from supporters saying he could do more good in his community. "This was a knowing, organized, joint misconduct that was repeated and then covered up over a period of years," the judge said. However, she spoke about the need to balance Jackson's conduct with his character. She cited letters from his constituents detailing contributions to his community and noted the government's acknowledgment that Jackson displayed a "special" level of cooperation. In addition to the jail time, the former Illinois congressman will have to pay back the $750,000 he stole from the campaign. After he completes his prison sentence, he must serve three years of supervised release, during which time he'll have to complete 500 hours of community service. A tearful Jackson told the judge prior to sentencing that he was ready to accept responsibility. "Throughout this process I've asked the government and the court to hold me and only me accountable for my actions," he said. "I was the office holder, it was my campaign." Jackson said he failed to separate his personal life from his political life, and "I couldn't have been more wrong." Jackson asked the judge, who is no relation to the former congressman, to sentence his wife to probation, saying that if she did have to receive jail time, to give it to him instead. He asked that "my son and my daughter not suffer the consequences of my actions." Jackson's lawyer, Steptoe & Johnson's Reid Weingarten, urged the judge to consider a sentence below the guidelines range of 46 to 57 months, saying the "goddess of justice would not weep" at a sentence of 18 months in prison. Weingarten pointed to Jackson's history of public service, his need for mental health treatment and his desire to be with his children as reasons for leniency. Jackson was accompanied at today's hearing by his father, the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr., and other members of his family. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves argued Jackson should spend four years in prison. "These were extreme abuses" that struck at the integrity of the campaign finance system, he said. Graves noted that there was no explanation for Jackson's theft, other than that he wanted the items he bought. He agreed Jackson deserved credit for coming forward to the government early on and accepting responsibility, but said the government took that into consideration in deciding what charge to bring as part of the plea deal. Graves said Jackson shouldn't get credit for his accomplishments as a congressman. "That was his job," he said. "It was a job he was paid well to do." As for Jackson's mental health problems, Graves argued the defense failed to present evidence that they justified a departure from the sentencing guidelines. Besides today's testimony, the judge said she received close to 200 letters from Jackson's supporters and detractors. The letter writers ranged from Jackson's constituents and personal friends to his former colleagues in Congress. The judge denied the government's request to order Jackson to pay $750,000 in restitution in addition to requiring him to forfeit the $750,000 taken from his campaign. The judge said she didn't find the now-defunct campaign Jackson stole from was a victim under the law governing restitution. "I cannot simply grant myself powers that are not in the statute," she said. Jackson was released pending a hearing regarding the date on which he must begin his prison sentence. She granted Jackson's request to recommend he be sent to a minimum-security prison in Montgomery, Ala. Jackson's wife, Sandra "Sandi" Jackson, also pleaded guilty to being part of the fraud conspiracy. She appeared at the same hearing as her husband this morning and was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Her lawyer, Winston & Strawn litigation partner Dan Webb argued for a sentence of probation.

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