The chorus of lawmakers calling on Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. to explain his mysterious absence from Congress grew Wednesday, with the second-ranking House Democrat saying Jackson would be "well-advised" to clear up his condition with the public.
The rising pressure comes amid wide-ranging rumors about his apparent "medical" condition, as well as reports that Jackson's office could offer a more detailed explanation as early as Wednesday.
Jackson has been on leave since June 10. His office said at first he was being treated for exhaustion, then fueled speculation with a recent statement saying his condition is "more serious than we thought."
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the House minority whip, said Wednesday that while he doesn't have an update on Jackson's condition, ""I think Congressman Jackson would be well-advised to advise his constituents about his illness."
That's a turnaround from a day earlier, when Hoyer said Jackson's official statements have fulfilled his responsibility to constituents.
Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin has also called for a better explanation from Jackson, as have his political opponents in the Chicago district.
In the absence of fine detail, the rumor mill has surged. Following a radio report on Chicago's WLS that Jackson attempted suicide, Jackson's father -- Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. -- told Politico.com that the claim is "not true."
"He's with his doctor and getting treatment, regaining his strength," Jackson told Politico.com.
ABC News, meanwhile, reports that Jackson is not likely to return to Congress until after Labor Day.
The congressman's absence comes amid a House ethics probe into whether he was part of discussions to raise money for the campaign of then-Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich in exchange for an appointment to the Senate seat vacated by President Obama after he was elected in 2008.
The Jackson fundraiser allegedly involved in that offer was also arrested last month, over a separate fraud case. The congressman himself has denied wrongdoing and was easily reelected in 2010.
