Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says clearing Jussie Smollett is a ‘whitewash of justice’
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel condemned the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office decision to drop all charges against Jussie Smollett, calling it a “whitewash of justice” in the wake of federal charges being dropped.
Jussie Smollett faces numerous felonies over fake hate crime
“This is without a doubt a whitewash of justice, and sends a clear message that if you’re in a position of influence and power, you’ll get treated one way, [while] other people will be treated another way,” Emanuel said Tuesday afternoon during a press conference alongside Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson. “A grand jury could not have been clearer.”
“There is no accountability in the system. It is wrong — full stop.”
All of the charges were dropped against Smollett Tuesday morning. The Empire actor was indicted on 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct earlier this month. He was accused of lying to police regarding a Jan. 29 incident, in which he said he was randomly attacked by two men shouting racial and homophobic slurs in his Chicago neighborhood. It was revealed he paid two friends to stage the attack, wearing red hats and yelling it’s MAGA country.
Johnson also heavily criticized the decision: “Do I think justice was served? No,” he said, adding that he stands behind the work of the detectives. “I’ve heard that they wanted their day in court with TV cameras so America could know the truth. But no, they chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system … I stand behind the detectives’ investigation.”
“Is there no decency in this man?” Emanuel seethed at the press conference. “Mr. Smollett is still saying that he is innocent. … How dare he?”
The angry former Obama Chief of Staff spoke to CNN later in the day.
“It makes no sense,” Emmanuel told CNN host Wolf Blitzer. “It makes no legal sense. It makes no common sense. And this is an abomination of my sense of justice.”
Some critics point to a deal in which Smollett surrendered his bond and used his fame to garner favoritism.
“After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case,” the State’s Attorney’s Office said of its decision.
Smollett’s attorney Patricia Brown Holmes said during an earlier press conference Tuesday “there was no deal” to get the charges dropped, saying, “The state dismissed the charges.” Smollett spoke shortly after Holmes, reiterating that he has been “truthful and consistent on every level since day one. I would not be my mother’s son if I was capable of one drop of what I’ve been accused of.”
