By John Solomon
How the government's punishing of the exposure of official wrongdoing can linger for years
Former Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. and his wife are to appear in federal court here on Wednesday to answer criminal charges that they engaged in an alleged scheme to spend $750,000 in campaign funds on personal items.
In a spectacular fall from political prominence, former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife agreed Friday to plead guilty to federal charges growing out of what prosecutors said was a scheme to use $750,000 in campaign funds for lavish personal expenses, including a $43,000 gold watch and furs.
Tom Kirsch, an attorney for Mr. Jackson's wife, said she has signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors and would plead guilty to one tax count.
However, one of her lawyers, Tom Kirsch, says the plea agreement "does not contemplate a sentence of that length."
