Jesse Jackson Jr. – undercover hero, decade-long snitch or big fat liar?

Updated – Is this an MSLB trying to find the Obama team an out? Or just an MSLBer getting punked?

Steve Benen at Washington Monthly points to two news stories he claims exonerate Jesse Jackson Jr.’s role in the Blagosphere, re Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s alleged corruption, the Blagosphere.

But, we have different spokespeople saying different things!

From one of Steve’s links the AP claims JJJ spokesman Rick Bryant as saying his boss has been working with Fitz since this summer. The Chicago ABC station reports similarly.

But, CNN has a totally different story, starting with a totally different JJJ spokesperson.

Kenneth Edmonds claims Triple-J has been an informant for the Chitown U.S. Attorney’s office, Fitz and predecessor(s), for more than a decade.

AND! … Edmonds said Triple-J was NOT, repeat NOT, involved with Fitz’s current investigation.

Politico, today, also quotes Edmonds, who now is saying it is just five years, not a decade, that Triple-J was a caped crusader. (JJJ himself claims he knew nothing about the Indian fundraiser, per Politico.)

That said, this is amazingly “serendipity” or “coincidental” timing, to be true:

After Blagojevich took office, in early 2003, he told Jackson something to the effect of, “You see what $25,000 would have done?” the sources said.

In 2006, Jackson reported the incident, which he believed to have been an attempt at a shakedown, the sources said.

The report, the sources said, came three three years later because Jackson’s memory was jogged by another case — that of developer Tony Rezko, whose fraud and corruption trial included testimony about $25,000 donations to Blagojevich.

If Jackson really were an informant for more than a decade, wold he need to suddenly have his memory “jogged”?

If you believe that, I have one of two things to say to you:
• I’ve got some palm trees outside Triple-J’s Chicago office to sell you, or …
• Some snitch target of Triple-J’s is going to have him killed in some South Side back alley, if this is the real deal.

I’ll eat crow if I’m wrong, but I’m not firing up my Indian barbecue right now.

So, we have at least one (not limited to just one) lying Jesse Jr. spokesman. (They directly contradict one another as to whether or not Triple-J was working with Fitz this summer.) One confused, and even more off message, Jesse Jr. operation, and a JJJ yet to explain his Indian fundraiser barbecue lunch, speaking of Indian grills.

Jesse? Buy a dog. A cocker spaniel. Name it “Checkers.” Claim one of your Indian friends gave it to your kids.

Steve? Be honest sometime today, since I sent you the CNN link. Tell us whether you’re being a flak, or whether you just went out on a limb, even if not actually getting “punked.” (Note: As of my update on this post, nothing on the blog or in an e-mail to me.)