CHICAGO (AP) — U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. says his
wife didn't get a promised appointment to head the Illinois lottery after
Jackson refused to give former Gov. Rod Blagojevich a $25,000 campaign
donation. Prosecutors have used Jackson's testimony at
Blagojevich's retrial on corruption charges to demonstrate that the former
governor was not above exchanging jobs for campaign cash.
Jackson said under cross-examination Wednesday that
he met with Blagojevich in 2003 after someone else was appointed to the lottery
job. Jackson says Blagojevich snapped his fingers and said, "You should
have given me that $25,000."
Jackson says Blagojevich made the comment while
mimicking his idol Elvis' voice. And Jackson himself put on a low, Elvis-like
voice as he explained the conversation with Blagojevich.
Jackson was on the stand about 30 minutes.
Copyright
2011 The Associated Press.
