Five to one says Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. has enlisted for an extended stay in a rehab facility. Jackson went missing from his Congressional duties on June 10 and hasn't been seen since. The initial explanation was "exhaustion." Those familiar with the press releases of Lindsay Lohan or the late Amy Winehouse know just how tiring a lifestyle entangled with alcohol and/or drugs can be.

Chicago's NBC Channel 5 reports that his constituents are getting restless:

We want to see what we were voting for, (said Shaun Fades, local barbershop proprietor). We elected him for something, and now he's nowhere to be found.

The level of secrecy surrounding Jackson's complete disappearance certainly suggests something is being covered up. His Congressional office issued an updated press release concerning his condition, but it was vague and was clearly offered in order to buy time for the Congressman to figure out how to address the situation.

Congressman Jackson's medical condition is more serious than we thought and initially believed. Recently, we have been made aware that he has grappled with certain physical and emotional ailments privately for a long period of time.

We know that JJ Jr., like his more famous father, has had a problem with marital fidelity. We also know that Jackson used his credit cards to buy an Alpha Romeo convertible for a drug smuggler. We find no other news accounts of Jackson encountering trouble under the influence at this time.

Society has generally accepted the disease concept of alcoholism and drug addiction since the late 20th century. Of course it is a troubling issue for a family to deal with and come to understand. But this isn't simply about a man and his family. Congressman Jackson has a responsibility to the people of Illinois and is privy to classified information that should not be entrusted with a man with untreated substance abuse problems.

You know your cover is blown when Gawker one of the most liberal Internet publications and a staunch supporter of all things Democratic, headlines their story: "Jesse Jackson, Jr. is Probably in Rehab Right Now."

Time to 'fess up, Jesse.

Ralph Alter is a regular contributor to American Thinker.