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Jesse Jackson Jr. takes medical leave from Congress

By Rick Pearson and Katherine Skiba, Chicago Tribune –

CHICAGO — U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.’s office disclosed Monday that the veteran Democratic congressman has been on medical leave from Congress for the past two weeks and is being treated for exhaustion.

The 17-year congressman’s office declined to say where he was being treated or when he is expected to return.

A statement issued Monday was the first public disclosure that Jackson has been on medical leave since June 10. During that time, Jackson’s office has issued at least 10 news releases, including a statement two days after he took medical leave in which he was quoted commending officials in south suburban Crete for withdrawing support for an immigration detention center.

Asked why Jackson’s office waited two weeks to tell his constituents about his absence, spokesman Frank Watkins said the lack of disclosure was a “family request.”

Last week, a longtime friend of Jackson’s, Raghuveer Nayak, was arrested on federal fraud charges involving Nayak’s surgical centers. Nayak was at the center of the U.S. Senate seat scandal that sent former Gov. Rod Blagojevich to prison.

Jackson, 47, remains under a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations that Nayak offered Blagojevich up to $6 million in campaign cash to make the congressman President Barack Obama’s successor in the U.S. Senate.

Nayak had told federal investigators that Jackson asked him to raise campaign money for Blagojevich in hopes thtat Blagojevich would appoint Jackson to the seat, sources familiar with the investigation have said. Jackson has denied any knowledge of fundraising in exchange for the appointment and has said he expects to be vindicated by the ethics panel.

Jackson, who has distanced himself from Nayak, also has said he did not violate House ethics rules when he had Nayak buy a plane ticket for a woman with whom he had a secret relationship.

House records show Jackson, who prides himself on his strong voting attendance, last voted about noon on June 8. The House was in recess the next week, and the next week Jackson was listed as “not voting” for more than 30 House votes.

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