A number of African American ministers have been meeting for weeks on the best strategy to get President Joe Biden to pardon former Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., and his mom, Jacqueline Jackson, the wife of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., and the mother of the former 2nd District Congressman who is the biggest promoter of the request.
Jackson, Jr. pleaded guilty to conspiring with his then-wife, Sandi Jackson, to the illegal use of $750,000 in campaign funds for personal use. He was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison but was given credit for good behavior and his completing a substance-abuse program, he spent a year and a half in prison and was released to a halfway house followed by three months confined to his home.
In an exclusive interview with the Chicago Crusader late Saturday, September 7th, Mrs. Jackson, who wrote her son every day while he was in prison and wrote a book, “Loving You, Thinking of You, Don’t Forget to Pray,” said she’s excited over the call to have her son pardoned. “I’d like to see it done so my son can go on with his life.”
Asked what she would say if she could talk to Biden, Mrs. Jackson said, “Why have you taken so long to consider?” Asked why it is important to have her son pardoned, she said, “It’s not just my son. There are many young people in his same state.
“If in this democracy you are fair and honest by allowing people to serve their time and once, they serve their time, you are supposed to while incarcerating them, reshape their character, rebuild their confidence and take care of them to participate in this society.
“To hang a sign on their backs for the rest of their lives, is cruel, unfair punishment and is not reflective of any level of a democratic society or civility,” Mrs. Jackson said.
Mrs. Jackson made her comments after nine mayors reportedly sent a letter to President Biden asking him to pardon her son. Her remarks were also made after Biden’s son, Robert Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to federal tax charges. He had already been convicted on three counts for his illegal purchase of a gun. President Biden said he will not pardon his son.
However, Jackson, Jr. is getting a great deal of support in asking Biden to pardon him. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-7th) along with St. Sabina’s Father Michael L. Pfleger, Bishop Simon Gordon, pastor of Triedstone Church of Chicago, Rev. Dr. Walter Turner, president of the Chicago Baptist Institute, Rev. Ira Acree, pastor of the Greater St. John Bible Church, Rev. Dr. Marshall Hatch, pastor of the New Mount Pilgrim MBC, Rev. Courtney Carson, vice president of Richland College, and Rev. Cameron Barnes, national youth director for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, agree that it is time for Biden to pardon Jackson, Jr.
“There are a bunch of folks wanting Biden to pardon Jesse, Jr. I wanted to do it,” said Rep. Davis. “I think that Rep. Jackson made some mistakes. He has expressed remorse. He is a very talented individual who has much yet to offer America. When I think of him, I think of a song some gospel singers sing, ‘Please be patient with me. God is not through with me yet.’”
Davis believes that the former congressman “is one of the most talented persons that I know and has a tremendous amount to offer to Americans. I think a pardon would just provide more opportunities to be of a service to the American public.
“I support the pardon for him, make no bones about it and I have no hesitation of it,” said Davis. He had listened to Jackson, Jr. on WVON when he recently filled in for a host and said, “He is talented, and I am in favor of his being pardoned.”
Father Pfleger said Jackson, Jr. “is a brilliant, young man who was going through some very serious health challenges when made some decisions. His health, I believe, should have been considered yet it wasn’t. He deserves now to be pardoned. His brilliance and wisdom are much needed in these times.”
Bishop Simon is also in favor of Biden pardoning Jackson, Jr. because “he has been a model citizen during this process, and the contributions he has made to society and in his book is enough to change tenants of society.
“I feel he is an asset just because of his history but also because of his attributes and his ability to take where we are and pointed it to the future. He should not be wasted. The pardon would free him up to be a greater and better blessing to our society,” said Simon.
He said he pardon will not erase what Jackson, Jr. did but that “this is what happens when human people understand human causes, experiences human life and then make life for everybody.”
Rev. Turner agreed that Biden should pardon Jackson Jr. saying, “I believe that Congressman Jackson, Jr. has done so much for our community, and he has raised the consciousness of our people when it comes to dealing with the issues that have affected us throughout the years. He has always made sure that we will never forget that we are relevant and kept us up on the issues that were going on.”
Rev. Acree said Jackson Jr. “has had a great track record of service. There is nobody in the country who has served and did more and registered more voters than Rev. Jackson, Sr.” Acree said having Biden pardon his son “would be a great gift to him.”
Acree wants Jackson, Jr. “to get back and continue working for the people. Everybody makes mistakes, and we believe in grace and redemption.”
Rev. Hatch, who said several ministers have been meeting regularly over this issue, also wants Biden to pardon Jackson, Jr. “The Jackson family has served not only our community and this country with his work, his brother, his entire family, and they are deserving of that.”
Asked if he could talk to Biden what would he say, Dr. Hatch said, “I’d tell him that he owes the Jackson family. We understand that he may want to do this after the election and that he is worthy of being pardoned. He has been a theologian and a consistent voice of those who have been victimized by mass incarceration.”
Rev. Carson believes that Jackson Jr., “has served his time and has been an outstanding individual since his release, he was targeted in a way that doesn’t reflect our judicial system. For all he has contributed to the country and state, he deserves a pardon.”
Carson was one of the Decatur 7 Eisenhower High School students who was expelled for two years based on the “zero tolerance” rule for engaging in a 17-second football fight. Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. went to jail fighting to get the students reinstated. He also gave Carson a college scholarship and remains his mentor.
Carson wants Jackson, Jr. back in Congress “because we need someone who understands legislation, the direction this country is going in, and the pain of the poor and what we need. Right now, we need a pardon for Junior.”
Rev. Cameron Barnes, National Youth Director for the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, also agrees that Biden should pardon Jackson, Jr. “I live in the Ninth Ward which is in the Second Congressional District, and what Jesse Jr. did for the Pullman area has that community turned around. All the work that he did unlocked a great deal of funding for Pullman to be designated a National Park.
“Pullman is the birthplace of the Black middle class, the birthplace of the Pullman porters where A. Philip Randolph put together the first African American union,” Barnes said.
He was referring to Randolph’s organizing the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925. “The work that Jesse, Jr. has done is far beyond just his work in Congress. He solidified even a lot of American history. Rosa Parks is in Statutory Hall in Washington, D.C. because of Jesse Jr. That is historic because it is the first full-length statue of an African American person in the U.S. Capitol.
“His work supersedes more than some misuse of money and campaign funds.
“His contributions to society put him into the echelon of those who should be pardoned. With the long history the Biden and the Jackson family has had throughout these years, it will create another notch on the lasting legacy of President Joe Biden,” Barnes stated.