PROSECUTORS: Jesse Jackson Jr. knew of Senate seat offer.

Hoo, boy.

A supporter of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. told the Democratic congressman in 2008 that he would raise $1 million in return for then- Gov. Rod Blagojevich naming Jackson to the U.S. Senate, a federal prosecutor said Wednesday.

The allegation, made on a busy day at Blagojevich’s federal corruption trial, was the first time authorities publicly suggested Jackson was aware of efforts by his allies to swap campaign cash for his appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.

Via AoSHQ.  Incidentally, this is what Rep. Jackson had to say about the suggestion that he was involved:

“I never sent a message or an emissary to the governor to make an offer, plead my case or propose a deal about a U.S. Senate seat, period.”

Yes, that would be Rep. Jackson parsing like nobody’s business.  The way that it looks to me – and remember that I’m as outside of the story as the rest of the country – is that Jackson traded his emissaries-that-supposedly-came-up-with-the-deal-on-their-own to the feds in exchange for no charges being filed on that, and perhaps other matters.  Then the emissaries – not being foolish – flipped as well.  Jackson’s covering it up because it looks bad, and the prosecutors are going along with letting Jackson cover it up because having Jackson ready (if not really willing) to testify against said emissaries are keeping said emissaries in line for the testimony that the feds really want.

So.  Was what Rep. Jackson did here legal?  Well… it’s not prosecutable, apparently.  Was it ethical?  Heck, no.  I’m further going to guess that Jackson didn’t bring any of this up until the feds did; which, again, is apparently not prosecutable, just a mess.  Which is yet one more reason to support Isaac Hayes…

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.