Jackson Charity Reportedly Gave Lover Money for House

CHICAGO —  One of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s numerous tax-exempt charities gave his mistress money to help her buy a Los Angeles-area home, according to correspondence.

A Sept. 10, 1999, letter from a top Jackson staffer to Karin Stanford, the former head of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition’s Washington office, approves a payment of $40,000 from Jackson’s Citizenship Education Fund. The money is deemed a “draw” against future consulting work Stanford planned to do, and was “for the purpose of acquiring residential real estate financing.”

Stanford, who first caught Jackson’s attention with a scholarly book about his impact on foreign affairs, gave birth to their daughter in May 1999. Jackson, who has been married 38 years, acknowledged last month fathering the child and asked his followers for forgiveness.

A copy of the letter, which a Rainbow/PUSH spokesperson said Wednesday was believed to be authentic, is to appear in the Friday edition of the National Enquirer, the tabloid that first published the tale of Jackson’s affair.

Jackson’s aides have proffered an array of explanations for the payment--which they say was actually $35,000--including severance pay and moving expenses.