Jonathan Jackson Says He's Progressive, Invests Like Trump Republican

CHICAGO — Jonathan Jackson's campaign to replace retiring U.S. Rep Bobby Rush amid a crowded field of candidates promotes him as a "progressive" backed by billionaire-bashing U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Meanwhile, newly filed documents show that Jackson — who also is endorsed by the socialist-leaning political arm of the Chicago Teachers Union — invests his personal wealth like a Trump Republican.

This much we know, six days before the Illinois Democratic primary, because the son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson finally filled his weeks-late financial disclosure statement required for his congressional run.

His ballot challengers and critics amped up attacks about the more than $1 million in TV ads paid for with "dark money" promoting Jackson's campaign that was paid for by a political action committee staked by billionaire Samuel Bankman-Fried. The 30-year-old is lobbying Congress to pass crypto regulations, which happen to be the top"issue" listed on Jackson's campaign website.

Jonathan Jackson also has money invested in the oil and gas industry as well as farm equipment manufacturer Deere & Co., which donated more than $800,000 to Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election results.

Jackson reported holding individual stock in aviation and defense contractor Raytheon Technologies Corp., whose lobbyist Mark Esper was appointed as U.S. defense secretary by Trump.

He has money invested in Walmart, Chevron and Procter & Gamble, corporations that each helped raise cash for Trump. Jackson holds a financial interest in Blackstone Inc., a Trump-supporting investment firm accused of worsening America's affordable-housing crisis.

Jackson's disclosure also reports he's part owner of a South Side property that is home to a federally funded supplemental nutrition program for women, children and infants. That building, at 1802 E. 71st St. in Chicago, made him about $63,000 in profits last year.

Fellow candidate state Sen. Jacqui Collins said Jackson's financial statements expose investments that "no member of Congress should have — especially a Democrat."

Ald. Pat Dowell, who also is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 1st Congressional District, accused Jackson of putting a "For Sale" sign on the congressional seat even before the votes are counted.

“On the same weekend that Senator Bernie Sanders said on stage in Chicago that billionaires ‘do not want people like Jonathan in Washington,’ Jackson has already sold his seat to a Billionaire.” Dowell wrote in an op-ed.

Of course, Dowell's attack reminds me of the time Jackson's brother, former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., was investigated — but not charged — in what the feds say was a scheme to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated when Barack Obama became president.

Give Jackson credit. On Thursday, Jackson filed those disclosure documents and faced reporters. I didn't think he would. Not that he had answers that pass my smell test.

Jackson addressed criticism with a shrug. He said there was nothing he could do to stop the billionaire-funded PAC from promoting his congressional campaign on TV.

"I did not seek their funding and have not rejected because I can't," he said. "It is independent."

At the same news conference, Jackson said he was sorry for being late to file the campaign finance disclosure statements that are required to give voters get a clear picture of a candidate's financial investments, business relationships and debts.

"I have made a mistake. And it's a lesson learned," Jackson said. "I did not realize that these documents were so extensive."

At the end of the day, voters know a bit more about the Rev. Jackson's son.

He's endorsed by socialists, invests his money like a guy who collects MAGA hats, made money from a real estate tenant funded by the federal government, and says he's defenseless to stop a billionaire from buying TV time to sway voters to give another son of the civil rights icon a shot on Capitol Hill.

Folks in the 1st Congressional District have five days to decide if that's in their best interest.

Mark Konkol, recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting, wrote and produced the Peabody Award-winning series "Time: The Kalief Browder Story." He was a producer, writer and narrator for the "Chicagoland" docuseries on CNN and a consulting producer on the Showtime documentary "16 Shots.

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