Robert Walker Quoted in Chicago Tribune Story on Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Robert L. Walker, an attorney in Wiley Rein’s Election Law & Government Ethics Practice, spoke with the Chicago Tribune for an article about former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Jr.’s apparent failure to file a required financial disclosure report.

Mr. Jackson was required to file the report with the Clerk of the House after resigning his seat on November 21, 2012, according to the article. The former lawmaker also pleaded guilty in February to misusing more than $750,000 in campaign funds and will be sentenced by a federal judge on July 1.

Federal law requires U.S. representatives to disclose, within 30 days of leaving office, any outside income, investments, major liabilities, gifts and travel funded by outside groups. Former lawmakers may request an extension of up to 90 days to file the report.  While disclosure reports and extension requests are listed on the Clerk of the House website, none have shown up for Mr. Jackson, the Tribune reported. 

“It’s certainly not a housekeeping matter and it is taken seriously,” Mr. Walker said, when asked by the Tribune about Mr. Jackson’s apparent failure to file. Mr. Walker is a former chief counsel and staff director of both the Senate and House ethics committees.