Jesse Jackson Jr. too exhausted to keep up congressional duties

Jesse Jackson, Jr., has apparently been on a leave of absence for the past two weeks, according to a statement released by his office this Monday.

Jackson is currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegedly using campaign funds to fly his mistress out to Chicago. Rod Blagojevich’s brother’s conversations with the Ethics committee about Jackson’s involvement may also be contributing to Jackson’s stress levels.

Jackson has previously taken time off due to exhaustion and has remained active on twitter in the meantime: https://twitter.com/#!/RepJJJr

According the Chicago Sun-Times:

“I know he has been under a lot of pressure,” said a Jackson friend in Washington, D.C. “He’s been fighting really hard to save his marriage. And he had a tough election. There’s been a lot of stuff.”

The cause for his leave was said to be “exhaustion,” according to Jackson’s office, which has sent out at least 16 press releases — many quoting Jackson — in the two weeks since he dropped out of sight.

The Jackson friend, who saw him in early June at the Capitol, said he looked withdrawn and distracted, not his usual self.

On the other hand, good friend and fellow congressman Danny Davis Jr., seemed to think Jackson had been doing just fine:

Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., said he saw Jackson just before the week-long recess and that he “seemed fine.”

“He was joking, like he usually does. He was laughing. He was his usual self,” according to Davis, who said he and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus noticed Jackson’s absences from votes last week.

Davis said he saw the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the lawmaker’s father, at a Father’s Day event on June 17 and the elder Jackson made no mention of his son’s situation.