Statement of the Chair and Ranking Republican Member to the House Regarding Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Pursuant to House Rule 11, clauses 3(b )(8)(C) and (D) and Committee Rules 17 A(h) and (j), the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Standards Committee) determined to release the following statement.
In accordance with the above-referenced House and Committee rules, the Standards Committee is announcing today that it has agreed to the Department of Justice's request to continue to defer taking action into whether Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr., or an agent of Representative Jackson, may have offered to raise funds for then-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich in return for the appointment of Representative Jackson to the Illinois Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama.
On August 17, 2010, a federal jury convicted Rod Blagojevich of one count and deadlocked on 23 other counts, including those related to the Illinois Senate seat vacated by President Barack Obama. A retrial of former Governor Blagojevich has been set for April 20,
2011.
The Department of Justice has asked the Standards Committee to continue to defer consideration of this matter and the Standards Committee, following precedent, agreed to continue to defer consideration of this matter at this time.
The Standards Committee will continue to monitor the situation and will consider pursuing avenues of inquiry that it concludes do not interfere with the activities of the Department of Justice. At least annually, the Standards Committee will make a public statement if it continues to defer taking action on the matter. The Standards Committee reserves the right to assert its jurisdiction if, in its determination, a violation of House rules, code, or other laws under its jurisdiction is discovered that will not interfere with the Department of Justice's activities.