When I learned Wednesday that Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-Ill., was putting his house in the District of Columbia up for sale, the first thought that came to mind was that of the representative for Chicago's Far South Side and surrounding suburbs joining that “fraternity” of congressmen who literally live in their Capitol Hill offices so they can save themselves money.
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| JACKSON: Needs a new place to live |
Could we someday get the sight of Junior in a t-shirt and shorts, lounging on the couch at 1 a.m., watching something trashy on television because he’s having trouble getting to sleep?
HOW ABOUT JUNIOR opening his office door in the morning to pick up his paper, encountering the janitors who keep the Capitol building clean?
It is one of the quirks of life for the members of Congress that some of them choose not to get themselves a house or apartment to live in during the time they must spend in Washington, D.C. They literally live in the offices.
Some do it because Washington is an expensive urban area, while others are trying to score political points by being snotty about the idea of actually LIVING in the District of Columbia.
Jackson had long ago moved beyond that, getting himself a house (that he’s now asking $2.5 million for) in the district to go along with his Chicago residence.
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| DURBIN: Will Jackson follow his lead? |
OFFICIALLY, HE LIVES in the district during the week and returns home to Chicago on weekends and other congressional breaks – although the cynics claim that the D.C. house is HIS and the Chicago house is the residence of spouse Sandi Jackson – who uses that address to justify her political post as alderman of the 7th ward.
But I also noted that the reports on Wednesday indicated that the couple’s children use the D.C. address to justify their enrollment in private schools in Washington.
That address is to become history, because Jackson aides say the congressman needs the money to help cover the medical bills he’s incurring from his treatment for a bipolar condition.
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| BLAGOJEVICH: Had a 'home' for sale |
It also has me wondering what the living conditions will be for Jackson in coming years (since he probably can remain in his congressional post for as long as he likes – even though circumstances make it likely he’ll never be able to get elected to any other government office).
WILL HE LITERALLY become like that breed of representatives and senators who sleep on the office couch – unless they feel like splurging and buying themselves an air mattress so they can sleep on the floor in semi-comfort?
He wouldn't be the only Illinoisan go go that route.
Or is he going to become more like Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who in political circles became famed for the “frat house-like” atmosphere of the home he and several other senators rented so they would not be homeless in the District of Columbia?
It’s too bad Jackson couldn’t have made the decision to sell and cut his living expenses a bit sooner. Let’s not forget that the Blagojevich family had a condominium for sale REAL CHEAP from Milorod’s days as a member of the House of Representatives.
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