Chicago attorneys for Jesse Jackson Jr. on Tuesday filed a petition outlining the disgraced former U.S. congressman’s outstanding legal bills, which total at least $131,000.
With proceedings in his bitter divorce from ex-Ald. Sandi Jackson being transferred to Washington, D.C., the firm of Berger Schatz LLP “wanted to memorialize that obligation with Jesse so it could be addressed at the appropriate time,” attorney Brendan Hammer said.
“Our relationship remains strong, and I remain in frequent contact with Jesse,” Hammer said. “This isn’t adversary action. Our relationship has been uniformly positive.”
Jackson Jr. signed an agreement to pay $122,500 when the case is resolved in Washington. If he doesn’t pay on time, he would owe the full $131,000 plus 9 percent interest.
“We are providing a procedural hook,” Hammer said.
Jackson Jr. has said he and his estranged wife are $1.8 million in debt thanks to legal bills from their federal criminal prosecution and mounting fees from an acrimonious divorce playing out in courtrooms in two cities. The former couple has already sparred over child support payments in the D.C. case.
Both Jacksons pleaded guilty in August 2013 to various schemes relating to the looting of his congressional campaign fund. Sandi Jackson, the former South Side 7th Ward alderman, and Jackson Jr., who represented the 2nd Congressional District, each went to prison for diverting $750,000 from campaign funds for their personal use between 2005 and 2012.
