Rep. Jackson denies involvement in Illinois Senate seat scandal. Federal authorities confirmed on Wednesday that U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. was the “Candidate Five” to which Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich implied in a taped conversation was willing to pay to get appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. In the indictment, the governor said a representative for “candidate #5″ was willing to raise $500,000 for his campaign and $1 million if he was appointed to the coveted Senate seat. However, Jackson, in a Wednesday news conference, strongly denied he had promised anything to the governor in secure the seat. Read the rest here.