BREAKING NEWS: (Jesse, Jr.) Jackson ‘5’ Scandal ‘Rocks’ Illinois

Federal authorities today confirmed what ABC News first reported, that ‘Candidate 5’ referenced in the affidavit federal prosecutors used to support their indictment of soon-to-be-former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich is in fact Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Of the six potential candidates mentioned in the affidavit, ‘Candidate 5’ is regarded as the “most deeply entangled” in Blagojevich’s scheme. It should be pointed out, however, when it comes to legal terminology, that means absolutely nothing.

‘Jackson 5,’ as he is now known in law enforcement circles, said he “met with Mr. Blagojevich to discuss the job for the first time earlier this week, after not having spoken to him for more than four years,” according to a report in The New York Times. The Congressman went on to say that, naturally, he never authorized anyone to offer anything in return for the appointment.

Correction: The previous sentence should read, “The Congressman, naturally, went on to say that he never authorized anyone to offer anything in return for the appointment.” [Ed.]

According to the 70+ page complaint filed in federal court, on Oct. 31, Mr. Blagojevich told an associate (in a wiretapped conversation,) that he had been approached by an emissary [identified only as ‘Tito’] from Candidate 5: “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 him [Candidate 5] a senator.”

In an exclusive, The Desperate Blogger (through means that will remain undisclosed at least until the children are grown) was able to obtain a partial transcript of the referenced conversation between ‘Tito’ and the Governor:

‘Scumbag’:  “I expect to be taken care of.”

‘Tito’:  “It’s easy as 1-2-3.”

‘Scumbag’:  “I said I want ‘dough-ray-me’.”

‘Tito’:  “A-B-C, 1-2-3, baby, you and me Guv.”

‘Scumbag’:  “I know I can trust you, but what about the ‘brother’? What if he tries to f**k me?”

‘Tito’:   “Just look over you’re your shoulder… [Inaudible]… I’ll be there.”

Representative Jackson maintains that prosecutors have told him he is not a target of the criminal inquiry, but that he had been asked to answer questions about Mr. Blagojevich’s selection process. He also reiterated that, until this week, he had not spoken with Governor Blagojevich for more than four years, and doesn’t expect to speak with him for “at least 5 to 7” more.

Prosecutors in the case said that they would not comment while the investigation is ongoing.

A spokesman in Detroit said that “Motown Records was most interested to learn of these recordings,” and that their “attorneys will be looking into it.”