Court dates have been set for former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife, former Chicago alderman Sandi Jackson.

They will both appear in court in Washington D.C. on Wednesday — Jackson Jr. at 9:30 a.m. central time and Sandi Jackson at 2:30 p.m. central time.

Both are to appear before the Honorable Robert L. Wilkins.

Jackson Jr. is accused of misusing $750,000 in campaign funds over a 7-year period. The money was allegedly spent on furs, rolex watches, and Hollywood memorabilia.

Sandi Jackson is accused of filing false tax returns.

In December 12, 1995,  a political star was born. 18 years later, Jesse Jackson Jr’s rising star has fallen. As the light dims on his career and his reputation, so does it cast shadows on the life of his wife of more than 20 years, Sandi Jackson.  The two, an ex-congressman and an ex-alderman are expected in court Wednesday facing federal charges that could send either one of them or both of them to prison.

Jesse Jackson Jr vanished from the public eye in June.  Questions about his health condition only grew and so did suspicions about a federal investigation stemming perhaps from the trial of former Governor Rod Blagojevich.  Jackson testified in that trial in 2011. It would appear the federal focus later turned away from Blagojevich and toward Jackson. Problems erupted when the U.S. House ethics committee got involved.

On November 21st, 2012 Jackson resigned from office.

The feds then turned up the heat Sandi Jackson. By January,  she resigned.

Last week, court documents were filed accusing Mrs. Jackson of tax fraud and her husband of misusing $750,000 in campaign funds.  His own campaign money was said to have been spent on furs, Rolex watches and Hollywood memorabilia, prosecutors say. The deals have been cut. The guilty pleas have been inked.

Now the once anointed power couple in Chicago with their sights set on great heights will face a federal judge to learn their fates.

Jackson Jr. is due in courts at 9:30 a.m. central time and Sandi Jackson at 2:30 p.m. central time.

Former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. may lose out on his federal pension.

Jackson would have been eligible to collect a pension amount estimated at $45,000 a year when he reached 62 years old. But the federal charges leveled against him may change all of that.

Attorney Ken Gross tells the Chicago Tribune, there is a law that strips pensions away from lawmakers convicted of public corruption crimes.

Jackson served nearly 17 years congress before resigning from office on November 21, 2012.

Last week, court documents were filed accusing Jackson of misusing $750,000 in campaign funds over a 7-year period. The money was allegedly spent on furs, rolex watches, and Hollywood memorabilia.

Jackson is expected to plead guilty to misusing campaign funds.

Jackson’s wife, Sandi, was also accused of understating the couples income on tax returns for six years.

She resigned from her post as 7th ward Alderman last month.

There was a show of family support from outside Rainbow Push headquarters Saturday morning as Santita and Jonathan Jackson spoke briefly about their brother Jessie Jackson Junior.

“The gravity has affected our family and we felt the impact of so many people’s prayers and we’re appreciative of everyone who’s kept us in their prayers we’ll keep them in ours as well,” Jonathan said.

The former second district congressman is charged with using campaign funds for personal items including furs, a $4600 fedora, once owned by Michael Jackson and a $5,000 football signed by two U.S. presidents.

He faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  His wife, former Chicago alderman Sandi Jackson, who resigned last month, also faces prison time and fines.  She is accused of understating the couple’s income on their tax returns for six years.

The patriarch of the family, Reverend Jesse Jackson, is in Washington DC this weekend, to be with his son, who the family says is still undergoing medical care.   Jesse Junior took leave from his congressional duties starting in June.   While at first keeping tight lipped about the reason– doctors finally said it was for bipolar disorder.  He resigned from congress just weeks after re-election in November, under a cloud of an ethics investigation.

“People remember all the great work that my brother has done.”

The Jackson family, long a powerhouse in Chicago and national politics, now says it will rally around Jesse Junior, who many saw, at one point, as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

“And as my brother Jonathan said we will stand with him until the end of time,” Santita said.