Story by 89 WLS reporter Bill Cameron
In the latest Friday afternoon surprise from City Hall, Alderman Sandi Jackson has resigned, effective next Tuesday.

One month ago today, Sandi Jackson used some of the same arguments she used today to say she would stay on the job as alderman.

LISTEN: SANDI JACKSON VOWED TO STAY ONE MONTH AGO TODAY

In her letter of resignation delivered to the mayor here at City Hall, Sandi Jackson says she's quitting as aldermen to attend to her family.

She says she is unapologetically a wife and a mother and can't deny her commitment to those personal responsibilities. She alludes to very painful health matters, presumably the bipolar disorder of her husband Jesse Jackson Jr. who resigned as a member of Congress.

Also very painful, although not mentioned in her letter of resignation, is the federal investigation of the couple for perhaps misusing campaign funds for home remodeling. And of course the question of whether then-congressman Jackson tried to buy the Barack Obama senate seat.

He's denied that.

Mayor Emanuel gets to appoint a successor and says he'll announce a process for that next week.
 

--

CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson says in a letter to Mayor Rahm Emanuel that she's stepping down because she cannot adequately represent her ward while she deals with "very painful family health matters."

READ: Sandi Jackson's Letter of Resignation

Jackson does not offer specifics, but her resignation on Friday follows the resignation from Congress by her husband, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. He has for months been treated for mental and physical health problems.

Jackson says that even as she values the public trust that comes with being an alderman, she suggested that she needed to devote herself to her husband and their children.

Jackson called her election in 2007 as alderman of the city's 7th ward a "profound honor."

Meanwhile, Jackson's father-in-law, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said he did not know anything about the resignation.

Copyright © 2013 Associated Press

--

Story by 89 WLS web staff

Alderman Sandi Jackson resigns from City Council, effective January 15, 2013.

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR EMANUEL REGARDING THE RESIGNATION OF ALDERMAN SANDI JACKSON FROM CITY COUNCIL

This afternoon I received a letter from Alderman Sandi Jackson tendering her resignation from City Council, effective January 15th.

As Sandi takes this time to focus on her family, we give her our deepest thanks and support for her service to our City and the residents of her ward. Her leadership has been greatly appreciated in the Chicago City Council.

The process to identify a replacement for Alderman Jackson to serve and represent the residents of Chicago’s 7th ward will be announced early next week.

Image used is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.