Question: How can the law enforcement apparatus in a major American city function properly when the police and the top prosecutor are at war with each other? Chicago's incoming Mayor has her work cut out for her. By now, you already know the Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx has been blasted by national and state-level organizations of district attorneys and prosecutors for her unethical and dishonest handling of the Jussie Smollett case -- and that Chicago cops have demanded a federal investigation into her office's conduct related to the matter. The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police has formally called on her to resign in a 'no confidence' vote:
Chicago's police union has demanded the resignation of Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx after prosecutors dropped 16 felony counts against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett. The city's Fraternal Order of Police and the suburban police chiefs associations announced a "no confidence" vote against Foxx during a joint news conference Thursday afternoon. "We are grateful for the top police officials here with one united voice to demand the resignation of Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx,” said Kevin Graham, president of the Fraternal Order of Police. Graham said the vote was about more than the Smollett case, but noted that the high-profile incident undermined the public's confidence in Chicago's criminal justice system.
These criticisms echoed the furious responses of the Chicago Police Superintendent and the city's outgoing Mayor, who blasted Foxx's decision to let Smollett off the hook after his costly, damaging and divisive 'hate crime' hoax. Foxx's moves, which came in the midst of apparent conflicts of interest and a "recusal" lie, didn't even result in Smollett being required to admit guilt and apologize for his actions. Astoundingly, his lawyers are insisting that Chicago should be apologizing to their client. No wonder local authorities are so disgusted:
Foxx's defenders have come to her aid by shamelessly playing the race card, painting the police as racists who are pushing a bigoted vendetta against the black State's Attorney:
Kim Foxx is expected to address media any moment at Jessie Jackson’s rainbow push. Many speakers calling the FOP racist, including fomer mayoral canidate Jamal Greene who called it the “blue klux clan.” #JussieSmollett
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) April 6, 2019
A rally in support of Kim Foxx just happened in which at least one speaker flat out called the FOP racist “blue klux klan.” Foxx did not object to that and carried on with her speech. After her extemely short presser I asked if she agrees that all police are racist: pic.twitter.com/kqM4G8hAze
— Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) April 6, 2019
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, activist Ja’Mal Green, [Jesse] Jackson and a group of other Foxx supporters blamed the city’s Fraternal Order of Police for a Monday confrontation over the Smollett case that displayed some of the city’s racial and political divisions. “The FOP is the sworn enemy of black people, the sworn enemy of black people,” said Rush, who drew criticism in the city’s mayoral election when he suggested supporters of Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot would have the blood of African-American youth killed by the police on their hands. “The FOP has always taken the position that black people can be shot down in the street by members of the Chicago Police Department, and suffer no consequences,” Rush said, as an aide approached Foxx and the state’s attorney stepped out of television cameras’ view. “Let’s be clear: Kim Foxx, her battle, is with the FOP and all of their cohorts.”
Rush is a disgusting race-baiter and a hyperbolic blowhard, as recently evidenced by his ridiculous slur against Lightfoot supporters for supposedly having black youths' blood on their hands. Lightfoot is an African-American woman, and Chicago voters elected her by a 48-point margin, in the face of Rush's pathetic demagoguery. No one is arguing that the CPD's record is blemish-free, or that Chicago doesn't face a very serious violent crime problem (this story is scary and shocking). But the situation only gets worse when entirely legitimate criticisms of a public official are countered by lazy allegations of racial hatred. Foxx has been taken to the woodshed by the national organization of district attorneys, the Illinois bar association of prosectors, and the police force -- which is led by a black man. Notice that nobody seems to be defending Foxx on substance or facts. They're crying racism, further deepening the fissures Jussie Smollett exploited with his disgraceful stunt.
After Smollett failed to pay the city's $130,000 bill for the cost of their investigation into his hoax, Chicago has announced its decision to sue the former (and future?) Empire star. Meanwhile, the feds likely still have a criminal case against the actor. And lest there be any doubt, yes, he's guilty. All the evidence points back to him, and his co-conspirators have confessed:
