If you have time to read
Where's the money, Jesse?
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Posted: January 24, 2001
1:00 a.m. Eastern
Jesse Jackson's revelations of his illicit affair and resultant lovechild aren't surprising.
For years, he's been romantically linked with alleged paramours like singer Roberta Flack. In a Nov. 21, 1969, article, the married Jackson told Life Magazine, "When I see a beautiful woman with a mini-skirt on, my eyes get big as teacups. Oh yeah! I ain't gonna be lying. They swell up because I'm young and I'm healthy -- mentally and physically." Hardly the talk of a reverend.
And, in 1987, Hillary-esque wife Jackie Jackson, told Life, "I don't believe in examining sheets. That's a violation of privacy. If my husband committed adultery, he better not tell me. And you better not go digging into it because I'm trying to raise a family and won't let you be the one to destroy my family."
But what is, indeed, shocking, is that, unlike a similar situation with the Rev. Jim Bakker of PTL, Jackson was able to get away with paying his latest kept woman, Karin L. Stanford, undocumented funds, which may have been illegally embezzled from one or more of his government subsidized, non-profit Operation PUSH-Excel organizations. For years, Jackson and his organizations have been unable to document millions in government funds and tax-deductible, taxpayer-subsidized donations to his various PUSH-Excel entities.
As early as 1983, reports showed millions of misspent or missing funds. That year, a federal audit of Operation PUSH's subsidiary, PUSH for Excellence Inc.'s, use of more than $4.9 million in federal grants, found either no documentation or improper justification for use of the funds, the Chicago Tribune reported in 1987. The situation was so bad that the U.S. Department of Education was looking into suing the organization to recover its share of that funding. By 1987, PUSH for Excellence failed to make payments on $671,000 owed to the Education Department, according to an AP report from June of that year, and the figure had reached $850,000 including interest. PUSH also owed $557,000 to the Labor Department and $38,647 to the Department of Commerce.
Jackson's response about the missing funds: While running as a presidential candidate in 1984, he said it was an attempt by the Reagan administration "to intimidate us."
Ironically, Jackson founded PUSH-Excel to persuade minority students to avoid such problems as drugs and teen-age pregnancy and be more disciplined about schoolwork. Well, at least, in his year 2001 predicament, the Rev. Jackson waited until his "friend" was no longer a teen-ager to get her pregnant. But, as for discipline, looks like he needs a little more, himself.
And interestingly, a 1983 audit by the Education Department inspector general questioned or disallowed millions in PUSH-Excel expenditures, including $18,000 in travel expenses to employees who didn't work on the federal grant involved. One wonders whether the $40,000 spent to move Jackson's lover and illegitimate child to L.A. was expensed similarly to us taxpayers. We'll never know -- it was in untraceable cash, probably intentionally so. And there's also the $3,000 a month in support he's paying her, as well as an L.A.-area home alleged to be worth about $365,000. Not to mention, the cushy paid job she held at the Rainbow-PUSH Coalition.
That's why the Rev. Jackson's affair is no private matter. We're all likely paying for it.
In "Jesse Jackson: The Man, The Movement, The Myth," author Barbara Reynolds notes that even Jackson's one-time home on Constance Ave. was "in a secret land trust, apparently to shield the" name of the homeowner, which was likely one of his tax-supported organizations.
While Jesse preaches about the economic disparity between rich and poor, he's become rich off his tax-subsidized entities, while inner-city residents got poorer. Taxpayers during the Carter years supported Jackson's groups to the tune of over $5,000,000. But Jackson used Operation PUSH to shakedown companies like Coca-Cola and Kentucky Fried Chicken for lucrative franchises strictly for his cronies and relatives, like half-brother Noah. His efforts to blackmail other soft-drink makers and major automakers, "on behalf of oppressed blacks," extorting bottlerships and dealerships only for his buddies, is well documented in "Jesse Jackson and the Politics of Race," by Thomas Landess and Richard Quinn. Most minorities never saw a dime.
And his current activities, such as the Wall Street Project, an initiative to persuade corporations to provide more opportunities for minorities, are no exception. Detroit-based auto dealer Mel Farr, Bill Clinton's friend and owner of the largest black-owned business in America, recently gave Jackson a share in his $36.5 million "urban auto" securities in exchange for Jackson's strong-arming support on Wall Street.
With a six-figure salary, several million-dollar homes, and children who've attended the prestigious and expensive St. Alban's Prep School in Washington, you have to wonder, where did the clergyman/chief of non-profit charities get all of this money, without having worked a day in a true private sector company? Answer: From us, the taxpayers. Just like the $40,000 cash payment to his girlfriend.
But, though Jim Bakker was investigated and prosecuted by the government and sentenced to jail, Jackson remains untouched. Is it because he's liberal? Because he's black? Or both?
In 1975, Jackson told author Reynolds, "Back to ... you digging around in my personal life. It is crucial that you understand this. For example, one American president died in bed with his girlfriend . ... That wasn't revealed until many years later. There are personal things about John Kennedy or Bobby Kennedy that we won't know until the year 2000 or later."
Well, it's past the year 2000, and we now know about Jesse's affair, but there are still some things we still don't know.
Like: Where's the money, Jesse?
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Debbie Schlussel is a political commentator and attorney. She is a frequent guest on ABC's "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher" and Fox News Channel. Click here to participate
