On February 20, 2013, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of filing false tax returns, and on August 14, 2013, was sentenced to one year in prison.

[7] Her mother, Sarah Stevens, who is from Atlanta, Georgia,[7] worked three jobs cleaning homes to raise Jackson and two other children.

Later Jackson helped her mother clean homes to pay her way through Bowling Green State University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1985.

Complications arose while the couple was attending a youth leadership conference in Deer Valley 20 miles east of Salt Lake City, Utah.

[26] Early in Jackson's political career she served as press secretary for United States Congressman Mickey Leland.

Jesse Jackson, Vice President of Congressional and External Affairs for the Export-Import Bank of the United States (appointed by Bill Clinton), Director of VIP Relations for the Presidential Inaugural Committee, National Outreach Coordinator for the Clinton/Gore 96 Campaign, and campaign manager and chief political strategist for many other politicians.

Beavers requested that Mayor Daley appoint his daughter to replace him, in order for her to have the incumbency advantage in the February 27, 2007 municipal elections.

[35] On December 12, Mayor Daley appointed Darcel Beavers to succeed her father until the Spring municipal elections.

[6] Jackson took leave from her position as deputy political director of training for the Democratic National Committee to run and her husband bought up the billboards in the ward to post an image of the couple.

[49] William Beavers was unimpressed with the spending and had his employees remind voters that Jackson did not live in the Ward and his daughter did.

[33][34] Jackson campaigned for the 7th ward alderman position based on the issues of economy, education, and public safety.

[60] Meanwhile, her husband propounded a 10-point ethics reform that would give the city's inspector general power to investigate aldermen; reduce the number of City Council committees to 10; limit municipal campaign contributions for each election cycle; and strip the mayor of the authority to appoint replacements for aldermanic vacancies.

[8] A local political writer immediately looked for signs that the nine new councilmen who were supported by pro-labor forces would form a block against the pro-business Mayor and old guard members.

[60] Five of the new members were among eleven dissenters in a vote on mandatory public art purchase procedures during their first month on the job.

[63][64] (Jackson's husband is a main proponent of the proposed Chicago south suburban airport in Peotone, Illinois).

[68] The February 2008 Real Estate Transfer Tax Increase also drew opposition from Jackson and a small minority of aldermen.

[71] There has been international press covering the City Council's deliberations regarding Grant Park and the Chicago Children's Museum.

[75][76] Jackson called attention to American Airlines' newly imposed luggage handling fees for even the first checked bag.

[78] Jackson was among the councilman and citizens who expressed outrage at the light punishment issued by the mayor's office over a multimillion-dollar city contract scheme.

Jackson viewed it as a moral issue where the Mayor did not appropriately condemn immoral activity, which in her eyes encourages similar behavior.

[79] During a Summer 2008 violent crime rash she was among the aldermen calling for refocussed emphasis on adequate police support.

At the time, Sandi Jackson was employed by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) as the deputy director of training.

The radio was returned when the controversy that arose led to a personnel reshuffling that included the reassignment of a high ranking Hispanic city employee.

[92] When Congressman Bobby Rush was battling cancer, Time and other publications mentioned Jackson as a potential future candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Illinois's 1st congressional district.

[95][96] The issue led to a public reconciliation initiated by Jackson, Jr. at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, termed a "hugfest" by the press.

Allegedly, the governor had considered her for the state lottery director and then asked for contributions from her husband Congressman Jackson.

[107][108] On February 20, 2013, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of filing false tax returns after neglecting to declare nearly $580,000 in income.

[111] Court documents also showed she had spent campaign funds on personal items such as vacations, electronics and furs.

[5] She has served as a campaign manager and chief political strategist for Robin Kelly, David Miller, William Davis and James Meeks.