Rev Jesse Jackson attends the official launch party of BritWeek at a private residence in Hancock Park 2012 on April 24, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
In a recent interview with HuffPost Live, Rev. Jesse Jackson opened up about his son, Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., and his son’s ongoing battle with depression.
Jesse Jackson Jr. was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1995 and currently represents Illinois’ 2nd District, which includes neighborhoods on Chicago’s South Side. After winning a primary earlier this year, Jackson took a leave of absence June 10th to receive treatment for exhaustion. Statements were then released citing Jackson’s “mood disorder” as the reason behind his sudden departure from Congress, but over a month into his absence, Jackson checked into the Mayo Clinic for depression.
“What we thought to be ‘exhaustion’ was something much deeper, and much broader, and it lasted much longer,” Rev. Jackson said of his son’s ailment.
Rev. Jackson reiterated that there is no timetable set for his recovery, noting, “he will regain his strength in time.”
When asked whether the Rod Blagojevich scandal may have triggered or contributed to his son’s depression, Rev. Jackson responded, “I leave that type analysis to the doctors. I come to this as a father who loves his son very much.”
Blagojevich, the ex-governor of Chicago, is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence for corruption. Jackson is being investigated by The House Ethics Committee for his alleged involvement with raising money for Blagojevich, in return for the open U.S. Senate seat.
Rev. Jackson also thanked everyone for their support, saying “we appreciate that so very much.”
Click here to watch the whole interview.
Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.
