Jesse Jackson Jr. on leave for exhaustion

CHICAGO — U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who defeated a primary challenge this year despite being the target of a House ethics investigation, has been on medical leave for two weeks and is being treated for exhaustion, his office disclosed Monday.

In a three-sentence news release, Jackson’s office said the veteran Democrat went on leave June 10 but did not provide further details, including how long he would be away. Jackson’s absence was noted by colleagues last week, when he missed votes.

The House Ethics Committee probe involves allegations that Jackson was involved in talks about raising money for then-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign in exchange for Blagojevich appointing him to President Obama’s vacated U.S. Senate seat. The married congressman also allegedly directed a fund-raiser to buy plane tickets for a woman described as Jackson’s “social acquaintance.”