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Questions Grow Regarding Chicago Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.’s Mysterious Disappearance

Is Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. suffering from a terminal medical condition?

Questions are growing about the Illinois Democrat ever since his office announced in late June he would take medical leave for exhaustion—in part because explanations have been vague at best and the public doesn’t actually know where he is. Last week, staff described the congressman’s condition as “more serious than we thought,” though the condition itself has yet to be named. Some in the Chicago press have also cited sources close to Jackson suggesting the representative, who easily won a primary earlier this year, would recover and run for re-election.

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL) has reportedly gone on medical leave for exhaustion, but questions are growing as to the congressman’s wherebouts, and what kind of ailment he is actually suffering.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Meanwhile Jackson’s wife, cornered by reporters, has made cryptic statements saying she wants to be sure her children are provided for. Add this to an FBI arrest of a former Jackson fundraiser on suspicion of bribing doctors, and the story is getting weirder by the day. Sen. Dick Durbin told the Chicago Sun-Times, “There comes a point when you have a responsibility to tell the public what’s going on.” That Point might be about now.

Video by Paca Thomas.

Correction, July 11, 2012: This post originally misspelled Sen. Dick Durbin’s last name.