Jesse Jackson Jr., son of civil rights icon the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., served in Congress for 17 years until he resigned in 2012 amid a criminal investigation. Jackson Jr. was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to defraud his reelection campaign of $750,000 over a span of 10 years.

That was over a decade ago.

While he’s mostly been out of the spotlight since then, Jackson Jr. is back and drawing attention to President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who was convicted of three gun-related felonies over the summer.

Jackson Jr. is advocating for the same forgiveness for himself and others whose futures have been stunted because of a criminal past.

In a letter to the president, Jackson Sr. wrote in support of his son: “I write to you today to respectfully urge your consideration for a full and absolute pardon for your son, and for mine, former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr… [he] has devoted his life to what he refers to as his ministry - to public service, and to fighting for equality and equity in civil and human rights for all Americans.”

Jackson Jr. joined “Chicago Tonight: Black Voices” to discuss the power of the pardon, what he’s up to now and what’s to come. Here are the major takeaways:

On the significance of a pardon:

“It would change the course of my life. It would be the official act by the president of the United States on behalf of the American people to say that ‘you are forgiven.’ I’m asking for it, but I didn’t ask just for myself.

When I was released from prison, I did not file for a pardon application. I did not file for a pardon with the Obama administration. I spent my time advocating the Obama administration and subsequent administration for millions of men and women who’ve paid their debt to society in full to be considered for the president’s pardon. I said at that time that I’m at the back of a very, very long line of Americans who served time, they made mistakes, they erred in their lives, but that the president of the United States and the Constitution is the only vehicle that can restore their lives. 

Even when I was exiting prison after I was sentenced, I said I still seek forgiveness, and I still seek the restoration and the resurrection of my life and the life of others, and I’m still right there.”

On his crime: 

“When I was elected in 1995 I had a big name, but I had no money. I didn’t realize quite the gravity of what it meant to live in Chicago and live in Washington. So to the tune of about $75,000 a year, I lived in my campaign. $75,000 a year to live in two cities — Chicago and Washington, to go to work every day, to not miss a vote in nearly 17 years as a congressman. Yes, I lived in my campaign fund and I owned my behavior for that.

Lots of members of Congress find themselves in a similar situation. Some of them live in their offices. Some of them live literally in their cars because they live in Maryland or they live in Virginia. But imagine the congressperson from Ohio or the congressperson from California, the congresspeople from Hawaii — very expensive territories.

I didn’t come to Congress a millionaire. I came there nearly fresh out of college, certainly fresh out of the seminary and fresh out of law school, determined to be of service to my constituents.”

On Aaron Schock:

“Not only did I repay the funds, but my home within a week or so was already in foreclosure as a result of repaying the funds. And yes, I did time, and Mr. Schock did not do time. And so, how do you balance the scales of justice? Well, the way you balance the scale of justice is with the pardon, with the absolute, full and unconditional pardon, giving people the opportunity to restart their lives over again. It is simply impossible to do it without the pardon.

I’ve applied for jobs at the university level. I have an undergraduate degree, I have a seminary degree, I have a law degree, I have 13 honorary doctorate degrees and I can’t get a job teaching. Now, how much sense does that make after years in Congress and with my knowledge of the U.S. government and the operation of our government throughout the world? It doesn’t make sense.

And so, if I’m going through it, then a bus driver is going through it. A plumber is going through it, a construction worker is going through it. Their life is no different than mine, no better than mine, no different than Hunter’s. They need the act of grace in their lives to begin their lives again.”

On the weight of being his father’s son:

“I accepted a long time ago that my father’s friends — I have inherited them, and I’ve also inherited his detractors, and if you will, his enemies or his frenemies, neither of which I have earned. I have not earned my father’s friends and I’ve not earned his enemies, but I’ve had to work hard to convince his friends to be mine, and I’ve had to work to convince his enemies that I’m different, that I work, that I represent people, that I have my own ministry, and that I mean business when it comes to my ministry. And that ruffles some feathers because I’m not little Jesse. I’m not just Jesse’s boy. I have a perspective at 60 years old that matters to me and the history of our nation, and, more specifically, the history of our people.”

On advice he’s received from his dad:

“When you get knocked down, you get back up. The ground is no place for a champion. No test, there’s no testimony. The only time you drown in a storm is if you keep your mouth open, so close your mouth, open your eyes and start kicking — tread through a storm. He said storms don’t last always. And I remind people that when they go through the storms of their life, that they don’t last always.”

On whether there’s a future in politics:

“I can’t speak for political office, but I certainly enjoy broadcast journalism, and I would love to work in broadcast journalism, whether it’s on the radio or whether it’s on television.”

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