The ex-Illinois Democratic congressman and son of the civil rights activist was charged by federal prosecutors on Friday with three campaign finance violations, including misuse of $750,000 of campaign funds. Jackson reported to be in negotiations for a plea deal.
Jackson is alleged to have spent more than $640,000 of that for his personal use. What exactly was he spending the money on? Some of it was the usual luxuries that often turn up in stories like this: Rolex watches, fancy furniture, etc. But buried inside a Washington Post report was this illuminating information about the ex-congressman’s cinematic and musical tastes:
The criminal documents outline a series of illegal expenditures from the former congressman’s campaign account, including more than a dozen purchases of pop-culture artifacts that firmly establish him as someone who came of age in the 1970s and ’80s:
●$10,105 worth of Bruce Lee memorabilia, including four separate purchases of items associated with the late martial-arts film hero.
●$14,200 in random Michael Jackson memorabilia.
●$4,000 for a “Michael Jackson and Eddie Van Halen” guitar.
●$4,600 for a Michael Jackson fedora.
Jackson could face a up to five years in a federal prison for these and other purchases. Yes, Bruce Lee was awesome, but I don’t think he is worth that.
