Democrat Jesse Jackson, Jr. represents Illinois' 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and is the son of civil rights activist Jesse Jackson.

An independent ethics probe into Jackson's involvement with disgraced IL Governor Rod Blagojevich was launched in April 2009.AP: Jesse Jackson Jr. faces ethics probe (April 7, 2009) Upon Blagojevich's arrest on December 10, 2008, it had been reported that Jackson Jr. was the "Senate Candidate 5" mentioned in the criminal complaint against the governor.FOXNews.com: Jesse Jackson Jr. Allegedly Named by Blagojevich... (December 10, 2008) The Office of Congressional Ethics voted to launch the probe despite reports that Jackson had actually been working with federal investigators for years to build a case against Blagojevich.Associated Press: Spokesman: Jackson Jr. talked to feds for years (December 16, 2008)Abc7Chicago.com: Jackson, Jr. may have been working with Feds... (December 15, 2008) The probe reviewed correspondence between Blagojevich's office and Jackson, as well as his younger brother, Jonathan Jackson.AP: Jesse Jackson Jr. faces ethics probe (April 7, 2009)

Jesse Jackson Jr. repeatedly denied having anything to do with Blagojevich's scheme to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat. In the criminal complaint against Blagojevich, "Senate Candidate 5" sent an associate to to offer to raise money for Blagojevich in exchange for a Senate seat. Jackson Jr.'s reputation was at stake.Abc7Chicago.com: Jackson, Jr. may have been working with Feds... (December 15, 2008) On December 15, 2008, Jackson Jr.s spokesperson revealed that he had in fact been helping federal prosecutors investigate Blagojevich.Associated Press: Spokesman: Jackson Jr. talked to feds for years (December 16, 2008)

It is alleged that Senate Candidate 5 apparently sent an "emissary" to Governor Rod Blagojevich, who promised to raise up to $1.5 million for the governor if Candidate 5 was appointed to the Senate seat that Barack Obama vacated upon becoming president-elect. During a phone call recorded by the FBI, Blagojevich is alleged to have said, "We were approached 'pay to play.' That, you know, he'd raise me 500 grand. An emissary came. Then the other guy would raise a million if I made [Senate Candidate 5] a senator."ChicagoTribune.com: Jackson Jr. has been identified...as 'Senate Candidate 5' (December 10, 2008)

Jackson's attorney said that he was "completely guiltless" in regards to Governor Rod Blagojevich's alleged "pay-to-play" scheme. ChicagoTribune.com: Jackson Jr. has been identified...as 'Senate Candidate 5' (December 10, 2008) Jackson denied claims that he or any member of his office were involved in Blagojevich's alleged plot to sell the Senate seat. Jackson's attorney, James Montgomery Sr., stated that, although he "assumed" that Jackson was the so-called "Candidate 5," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald had confirmed that Jackson was not included in the Blagojevich investigation nor was he accused of any misconduct.CNN: Jackson says he didn't 'pay to play' Illinois politics (December 10, 2008) Additionally, it has been reported that in 2002, Jackson Jr.'s wife, Sandi Jackson, lost an appointment as IL's lottery director because he refused to give Blagojevich a $25,000 campaign donation.Associated Press: Source: Ill. gov nixed job for Jackson Jr.'s wife (December 16, 2008)

On December 12, 2008, the Chicago Tribune reported that Chicago businessman Raghuveer Nayak, along with Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi, discussed raising $1 million for Blagojevich's campaign in an attempt to persuade the governor to name Jackson Jr. to Barack Obama's Senate seat.Chicago Tribune: Raghuveer Nayak (December 12, 2008)