Summary: 'Shakedown: Exposing the Real Jesse Jackson' by Kenneth R. Timmerman
Kenneth R. Timmerman’s 'Shakedown: Exposing the Real Jesse Jackson' is a searing investigative work that pulls back the curtain on a figure who has long been a sacred cow of the American Left. Published in 2002, the book presents a meticulous and damning portrait of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, not as a courageous civil rights warrior, but as a cunning operator who built a lucrative career on exploiting racial grievances for personal and political gain .
From a conservative perspective, 'Shakedown' is an essential text because it validates what many have long suspected: that the civil rights establishment, led by figures like Jackson, has strayed far from the noble principles of equality and colorblindness championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Instead, Timmerman exposes a world of "race hustlers" who manipulate white guilt, threaten corporations with boycotts, and funnel money into their own pockets and those of their allies . The book's central thesis is that Jackson's primary skill is not leadership or moral persuasion, but a sophisticated form of extortion disguised as social activism.
The Anatomy of a "Shakedown"
The book's title perfectly encapsulates its core argument. Timmerman meticulously documents what he calls Jackson's "fundraising style," which operates like a protection racket . The pattern is repetitive and, as one reviewer noted, "numbingly repetitive" in its audacity . It unfolds as follows:
1. Identify a Target: Jackson and his operatives would identify a major corporation—often one involved in a merger, seeking regulatory approval, or vulnerable to public perception.
2. Issue a Threat: They would then threaten the company with accusations of racism, a consumer boycott, or negative media attention unless it agreed to their demands .
3. Make the Demands: The demands were rarely about principle. They typically involved monetary "donations" to Jackson's organizations, such as the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, or lucrative contracts for minority-owned businesses hand-picked from Jackson's inner circle .
4. Collect the Payment: Fearing the reputational and financial damage of being labeled racist, corporations would often "pony up" . As the Independence Institute summarized, "It's less expensive to just pay him off" . Timmerman argues that these payments were a form of "hush-money" to make the "racial bullying" stop.
Timmerman argues that this was not activism; it was a business model. The goal was never to create lasting change but to create a continuous revenue stream. The book is filled with examples of corporations that, in the words of one CEO quoted by Timmerman, lacked the courage to "grow a pair of balls" and instead chose to "toss bones to Jesse".
Debunking the Myth
Beyond the financial extortion, 'Shakedown' systematically dismantles the carefully constructed mythology surrounding Jackson's public persona. Timmerman accuses Jackson of consistently "manipulating the truth to build a false portrait of himself". This includes:
The Minister Title: Timmerman points out that for much of his public career, Jackson was a "seminary drop-out," raising questions about the legitimacy of the "Reverend" title that lent him moral authority.
The King Association: Jackson famously claimed to have been with Dr. King when he was assassinated in Memphis, even asserting that he was the last person to speak with him and cradled the dying leader in his arms. Timmerman presents evidence that these claims were greatly exaggerated, portraying Jackson as a self-aggrandizing figure who used King's death to elevate his own standing.
Anti-Semitism: The book does not shy away from Jackson's infamous "Hymietown" remark, in which he referred to New York City as "Hymietown" during the 1984 presidential campaign. While Jackson later apologized, Timmerman uses it as an example of the casual bigotry that underlay his public message of tolerance.
The "Subversive" Agenda and Unsavory Allies
For a conservative reader, Timmerman's exploration of Jackson's political alliances is particularly alarming. The book accuses Jackson of espousing a "subversive domestic agenda" and of supporting anti-American dictators abroad . He portrays Jackson's foreign policy forays often celebrated by the Left as "citizen diplomacy" as photo opportunities with despots that lent legitimacy to brutal regimes.
Furthermore, 'Shakedown' highlights Jackson's long-standing relationships with figures like Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, a notorious antisemite, and his cozy ties with Yasser Arafat and other controversial figures . For conservatives who believe in standing with allies and confronting tyrants, Jackson's embrace of such characters is deeply troubling and reveals a man whose "rainbow coalition" included some very dark colors.
The Personal Financial Question
Finally, Timmerman focuses on Jackson's personal finances, contrasting his message of helping the poor with his own opulent lifestyle. The book details Jackson's "fifteen room Tudor" house, his expensive suits, and his family's privileged lifestyle including private schools and luxury cars. The point is not to begrudge anyone success, but to highlight the hypocrisy of a man who claims to speak for the "despair" of the inner city while living behind the gates of affluence. Timmerman quotes one observer who caustically noted that Jackson was "as close to inner city despair as the Beverly Hillbillies were to poverty".
Conclusion
'Shakedown' is not a dispassionate biography; it is a prosecutorial brief. Timmerman makes no pretense of balance, and for that, he was viciously attacked by the Left-leaning media, with outlets like 'The Nation' decrying his "racialized animus" and "class bias". However, from a conservative vantage point, these attacks are predictable. They are the howls of a protective press corps desperate to shield a liberal icon from scrutiny.
The value of 'Shakedown' lies in its unapologetic willingness to ask the hard questions that the mainstream media refuses to ask. It exposes the corrupting intersection of race, money, and power. It reveals how the language of social justice can be weaponized not to help the downtrodden, but to enrich the hustlers who claim to represent them. For conservatives seeking to understand the rot at the heart of the modern civil rights establishment, and for anyone who believes in colorblind justice over racial favoritism, Kenneth Timmerman's 'Shakedown' remains a powerful and necessary read.
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