The Presidents and nations moral advisor seems to have a bit of a problem.
REV. IS IN A ‘SORRY' STATE
Thursday,January 18,2001
By TRACY CONNOR
A "truly sorry" Rev. Jesse Jackson
revealed last night that he fathered a
love child two years ago - and said
he's dropping out of public life to
reconcile with his devastated family.
The extraordinary admission came
as the National Enquirer published
a story about Jackson's secret affair
with Rainbow Coalition activist
Karin Stanford.
The bombshell report details how
the married civil-rights leader romanced the ex-professor
while serving as spiritual adviser to President Clinton during
Sexgate and even took his pregnant mistress to the White
House.
"I am father to a daughter who was born outside of my
marriage," Jackson said in a statement to The Post.
"As her mother does, I love this child very much and have
assumed responsibility for her emotional and financial
support since she was born," he continued.
"This is no time for evasions, denials or alibis. I fully accept
responsibility and I am truly sorry for my actions."
The fiery preacher - who has been hammering away at
some of George W. Bush's Cabinet appointments in recent
days - said he was taking time off from his "public ministry"
because of the scandal.
It was unclear if he was canceling plans to lead a massive
march on the Florida state capitol on Inauguration Day to
protest the presidential election mess.
The Post contacted Stanford, 39, at her home in south Los
Angeles several times this week. She and family members
politely declined to comment on her affair with Jackson, 59.
But she told the Enquirer: "Jesse and I still have a very
warm and close relationship."
Since DNA tests determined he was the father of the
20-month-old girl - Stanford was seeing another man when
she got pregnant - Jackson has been paying $10,000 a
month in support.
He also gave the single mom $40,000 for "moving
expenses" when she took maternity leave and left
Washington, D.C., for her native California.
Their fateful liaison began after Jackson, impressed by a
book Stanford had written about his impact on foreign
policy, hired her to run the Rainbow Coalition's Washington
office.
The affair coincided with the explosion of the Sexgate
scandal and Jackson's unofficial position as adviser to
Clinton on his adulterous fling with intern Monica Lewinsky.
In August 1998, around the time his out-of-wedlock child
was conceived, Jackson urged the public to forgive the
president for cheating on his wife.
"The nation must take the test: If there are any among us
who have not known the trials and tribulations and
temptations, then throw a rock," he said.
"At some point, we have to forgive, redeem and move on."
That December, he escorted a four-months-pregnant
Stanford and other Rainbow Coalition staffers to meet
President Clinton and stood next to her during a photo
opportunity.
It wasn't long before word of the escapades reached the
homefront - and Jackson's enraged wife of 38 years,
Jackie, confronted Stanford at the Rainbow Coalition
offices, the Enquirer said.
"Jackie screamed at Karin that she'd raised Jesse's children
and had been at his side through really tough times," a
source told the weekly. "She accused Karin of getting
pregnant on purpose."
And Stanford admitted: "I would not be surprised if his
family hated me."
Even after the blowup, Jackson - who was born out of
wedlock himself - was clearly not ready to acknowledge
the child was his.
In a March 1999 newsletter, he announced Stanford would
soon be taking maternity leave for "the birth of her first
child" with her attorney boyfriend.
A week later, he announced he had decided not to seek the
Democratic nomination for president, reprising his 1984 and
1988 campaigns.
Stanford was involved with another man when she found
out she was pregnant and left blank the space for the
father's name on the birth certificate when her daughter was
born in May.
But a DNA test confirmed Jackson was the father of the
baby, who reportedly shares with him a genetic trait for
sickle-cell anemia.
He quickly had a financial agreement for support drawn up
- a pact that included an agreement by Stanford not to
publicly acknowledge her baby's parentage, the tab
reported.
In Los Angeles, Stanford continues to work for the
Rainbow Coalition as a consultant, and Jackson visits her
and his daughter when he's in California.
The scandal has left Jackson estranged from Jackie and on
shaky ground with his five kids, including his congressman
son, Jesse Jr.
"It has been an extremely painful, trying, difficult time for
them," Jackson said.
"I have asked God and each one of them to forgive me and
I thank each of them for their grace and understanding
throughout this period of tribulation.
"We have prayed together and through God's grace we
have been reconciling."
Jackson said he hoped to "revive my spirit and reconnect
with my family" during his temporary break from public life.
His biographer, Marshall Frady, said he was not shocked
by the revelations and did not think they would permanently
wreck his reputation.
"During the presidential campaign, the lore about his
extra-domestic careering was absolutely pandemic - the
rumors connected him to a galaxy of ladies," Frady said.
He said that like the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson
"is a passionate being and has never been skilled in applying
calculated economies to his emotions."
Noting that Jackson was born out of wedlock and didn't
learn his natural father's identity until he was 5 or 6 years
old, Frady said there is a kind of "circling poetic irony" in
yesterday's disclosure.
Jackson also brought up his family history last night.
"I was born of these circumstances and I know the
importance of growing up in a nurturing, supportive and
protected environment," he said.
"So I am determined to give my daughter and her mother
the privacy they both deserve."
worldnetdaily.com.
"At some point, we have to forgive, redeem and move on."
I agree and hope that he moves right the hell on out of the public eye. I am really weary of these people telling me how to live when they are incapable of running their own lives. I also find the money that he is throwing at this women interesting. I guess the pay must be pretty good running around the country shooting your mouth off. |
