Mike Johnson denies Jesse Jackson’s family request for civil rights icon to lie in honor at Capitol

House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly denied a request Friday for Civil Rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson to lie in honor at the United States Capitol, days after the leader died in Chicago at the age of 84.Jackson died Tuesday after years of significant health challenges, including a rare neurological disorder that affected his ability to move and speak. 
Johnson has not commented on the decision so far, but a source told The Hill that the request came from Jackson’s family and that the Republican considered past precedent in making his decision. Requests for Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and former Vice President Dick Cheney to lie in honor in the Capitol have also been denied recently.
The honor is usually bestowed on former presidents and government officials, but Rev. Billy Graham’s death was honored in the Capitol rotunda in 2018 and civil rights leader Rosa Parks lay in honor in 2005. The most recent person to lie in state at the Capitol was former President Jimmy Carter, who died last year.
Jackson was a staunch advocate for civil rights and led crusades in the U.S. and internationally, advocating for the poor and underrepresented on voting rights, job opportunities, education, and healthcare. 
Jackson’s family said their loved one is still expected to be honored and remembered in Chicago next week, per CNN.

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