As Congressman Jackson Jr. has accepted the guilty verdict it appears, it is all that is required for a President to commute a sentence (or pardon)

Do as was done for Scooter Libby.
The same amount of actual jail time after sentence should be as was given Scooter Libby.


I think the reason no commutting of Siegelman was done yet was because he hasn't admitted guilt, and a President cannot pardon or commute a sentence unless that happens.

However, maybe the judge (hopefully a good one) will look upon the guilty plea, and the fact that he will pay back every penny as punishment enough, especially due to his health problems, which he is already getting help for.

That would indeed be cruel and unusual.

He stole campaign funds and used the money for personal use. I hope JJ gets some jail time.

Your extreme partisanship is not healthy.

Jackson and Siegleman are both political takedowns and witchhunts.
and it wasn't very much money, no jail time should be given in the first place, if the judge is a good one.

imho, feel free to disagree.

Rahm-connected Chicago Charter Schools get massively disproportionate funding under new bill

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022244116


This practice is apparently epidemic in the corruption-plagued Land of Lincoln.

“A lot of politicians use political donations as lifestyle enhancements—getting work done on their homes, taking fancy vacations, etc,” says Shaw. “At the very least they’re bending the rules of campaign finance and sometimes they violate them blatantly. Unfortunately the IRS and state election boards are stretched too thin to investigate. But if you end up under the microscope of the U.S. Attorney that all changes … Jesse Jackson Jr. is not an outlier here, but he’s the one who got caught. There are a lot of politicians who are probably saying ‘there but for the grace of God go I.’”

Jesse Jackson Jr.’s fall is more profound than most Chicago pols because of the arc of history behind it. This is not just the case of one wayward son—the Jackson mantle has been tarnished in recent years due to a steady stream of scandals from the father as well.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/08/with-plea-deal-jesse-jackson-jr-s-fall-from-grace-seems-complete.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+thedailybeast%2Farticles+%28The+Daily+Beast+-+Latest+Articles%29


"there are no accidents in politics"

= fdr

They don't even need a reason.

Look at Bush 41, in essence, he pardoned himself and wasn't even charged with anything for Iran/Contra.

with monitored permission to go to rehab.

BTW, let those without sin step forward please in all of mankind.

if those who had sinned before had not gotten away with a slap on the wrist as your are suggesting. The biggest deterrent is the consequences one must face if caught.

...as one who grew up watching Jesse II on the teevee almost every night and his Operation: PUSH speeches on the radio every Saturday, I've seen this family's rise and now slow fall. In the 70s I truly appreciate all the work Jesse, PUSH and the Rainbow Coalition stood for and, despite his controversial, publicity-seeking side, Jesse was fighting the good fight. I also felt some promise for his son when he first ran for Congress; hoping he had avoided some of the personal flaws his dad fell into. Seemed like that was the case until the Blago case came along. It came out then about Jesse III's attempts to bribe his way into the Senate and then his subsequent disappearance and now admission of guilt.

It's a shame as his district...one of the poorer ones in the Chicago area...has sat neglected in Congress for the better part of a year and now has to find a competent replacement. I would hope Jesse III sees some kind of jail time for his abuse of both his office and the public trust....