Ward Room: What $750,000 Can Buy

$750,000 is the amount of money former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. took from his campaign funds. A crime that he recently pleaded guilty for with his wife former Alderman Sandi Jackson who also pleaded guilty for filing a false income tax return in federal court last week.

This Ward Room posting by Ed McClelland discusses what Jackson could've done with all that money for his constituents. Starting off mentioning free breakfasts struck a nerve because Jackson had robocalls in the past advertising free turkeys at an event he hosted. With the cash he was spending on personal items he probably could have spent them on food for the neediest constituents.

Still I have to admit what a sad end to a potential dynasty. And all it all started when he got caught up in the scandal involving Rod Blagojevich. Last year I attended a fundraiser held in Hyde Park - President Obama's neighborhood - by Sandi Jackson ward organization although no funds came from me for her it was nice to be at a venue for a fancy restaurant.

In any event there was a lot of press there. Mrs. Jackson was being interviewed by a local news anchor and there were news vans outside of this particular establishment. You would've thought she would've been in office for years to come and as it turns out she didn't have long before her career as Alderman was over. Not only that, the feds would have their eye on her as well.

Very sad.

This video makes me go hmmm...

[VIDEO] This quote was CapFax's quote of the day and here's an article that provides text:

I get wound up,” Walsh shouted. “Boy, do I get wound up. I am scared, I really am scared, Patrick,” he said while raising his arms and addressing someone in the crowd, “that we’re past the point. We have so many people now dependent on government. So many people want handouts. The Democratic Party promises groups of people everything. They want the Hispanic vote, they want Hispanics to be dependent on government, just like they got African Americans dependent on government. That’s their game.”

“Jesse Jackson would be out of work if [African Americans] weren’t dependent on government,” he added

Congressman Joe Walsh is from Illinois' 8th Congressional district in 2010 he defeated the incumbent Congresswoman Mellisa Bean. In Illinois political circles he's been known for make controversial statements. It was even noted on  his Wikipedia profile and on such Illinois blogs as CapFax that he got into a heated argument with a constituent.

In November 2011, Walsh was videotaped meeting with his constituents, becoming visibly aggressive and swearing at a constituent who questioned him. He later apologized for being "too passionate".^[56]

 There are a few people out there who would be happy to see him gone, but I know very little about the 8th so that's not the call for me to make.

As for the more racial statements he's made, I'm not certain if I should be offended or not. If anyone isn't happy about the idea of dependency it's me. At the same time while it certainly would stir his constituents one could just as easily accuse Congressman Walsh of overgeneralizing here!