Blagojevich Fundraiser Held By Jesse Jackson Jr.

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. speaks with members of the press on Friday morning in response to the continued investigation surrounding his involvement with the political corruption allegations made against Ill. Gov. Rod Blagojevich. (Tribune photo by Christopher Booker

Blagojevich fundraiser held by Jackson allies Saturday
Chicago Tribune
By David Kidwell, John Chase and Dan Mihalopoulos
December 12, 2008
As Gov. Rod Blagojevich was trying to pick Illinois’ next U.S. senator, businessmen with ties to both the governor and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. discussed raising at least $1 million for Blagojevich’s campaign as a way to encourage him to pick Jackson for the job, the Tribune has learned.
Blagojevich made an appearance at an Oct. 31 luncheon meeting at the India House restaurant in Schaumburg sponsored by Oak Brook businessman Raghuveer Nayak, a major Blagojevich supporter who also has fundraising and business ties to the Jackson family, according to several attendees and public records.
Two businessmen who attended the meeting and spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity said that Nayak and Blagojevich aide Rajinder Bedi privately told many of the more than two dozen attendees the fundraising effort was aimed at supporting Jackson’s bid for the Senate.
That meeting led to a Blagojevich fundraiser Saturday in Elmhurst, co-sponsored by Nayak and attended by Jesse Jackson Jr.’s brother, Jonathan, as well as Blagojevich, according to several people who were there. Nayak and Jonathan Jackson go back years and the two even went into business together years ago as part of a land purchase on the South Side.
Blagojevich and the congressman met to discuss the Senate seat on Monday, one day before federal prosecutors arrested Blagojevich and charged him with trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama.
The Tribune has identified Jesse Jackson Jr. as “Senate Candidate 5.” Jackson has denied knowing anything about efforts by emissaries or anybody close to him promising to raise money for Blagojevich in exchange for being appointed to the Senate. He has been contacted by federal prosecutors as part of the probe and has agreed to meet with them.
Jackson’s congressional spokesman Rick Bryant said Thursday that Nayak is a “family friend and supporter” of the congressman as well as his well-known father, Rev. Jesse Jackson. The congressman and Nayak have spoken about Jackson’s desire to succeed Obama.
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The two businessmen who spoke to the Tribune on the condition of anonymity said they did so because they were afraid of repercussions in the close-knit and politically active Indian business community.
One said Nayak and Bedi told him and others of their plan to help Jackson.
The second said he overheard Nayak and Bedi discussing plans with Bhatt, the Joliet pharmacist..
“Raghu said he needed to raise a million for Rod to make sure Jesse got the seat,” the second businessman said. “He said, ‘I can raise half of it, $500,000.’ The idea was that the other two would help raise the rest.”
Bhatt, whose two Basinger’s Pharmacy outlets were searched by the FBI last week, has been the focus of a state and federal investigations into whether campaign donations were made in exchange for regulatory favors.
Bedi is the managing director for the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity’s Office of Trade and Investment, overseeing nine foreign trade offices around the world from China to Israel. He has also been a key fundraiser for Blagojevich.
Blagojevich has referred to Bedi, who wears a turban, as “My Sikh warrior.”

Wild Thing’s comment…….
It kind of looks like Jessie Junior drew the short straw, doesn’t it? I wonder if this is how Pops Jackson is getting paid back for the ‘cut his BLEEPS off’ comment? Nah, that’s crazy talk! Forget I even said that….just a thought. haha
I guess we better add Jesse Jackson Jr. to the list of those not sleeping too well at night.