16 Aug: news.com.au: Kamala Harris and the Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax
Vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris may wish she could go back and change this episode of her failed campaign for the top spot.
by Frank Chung
For Kamala Harris, is no noose good noose?...
Less well covered are a number of curious links between Ms Harris, at that point running for the Democratic presidential nomination, and the saga of Smollett’s “attempted modern day lynching”, as she described it...
Despite local media reports suggesting Chicago police strongly doubted the story – Smollett’s claims were run by national and international media for weeks...
Police eventually concluded that Smollett had paid two acquaintances – Nigerian brothers and fellow Empire actors Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo – to stage the attack to boost his profile, and in February he was charged with filing a false police report...
THE KAMALA CONNECTION
Ms Harris had a number of noteworthy connections to the case, not least her friendship with Smollett.
The two were photographed in January 2018 protesting together at a Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles honouring the legacy of Martin Luther King.
The Senator was one of the first major public figures to come out with a statement about the attack, which she used to promote a stalled – and entirely symbolic – “anti-lynching” bill she had co-authored with fellow Senators Cory Booker and Tim Scott.
“(Jussie Smollett) is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery,” Ms Harris tweeted shortly after the news broke.
“This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or colour of their skin. We must confront this hate.”
In February, after Chicago police had arrested the two brothers and Smollett’s story was beginning to fall apart, Ms Harris appeared caught off guard when questioned about the developments during a campaign appearance at a bookstore in New Hampshire...
A female reporter asked whether Ms Harris wanted to amend her January 29 tweet.
“Which tweet? What tweet?” Ms Harris said, looking around for a campaign staffer for assistance...ETC
https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/kamala-harris-and-the-jussie-smollett-hate-crime-hoax/news-story/fee69fc5b217f31eac7e037cd836aa33
5 Sept: Chicago Sun-Times: Michael Avenatti is sent subpoena in latest twist in Jussie Smollett case
Avenatti, who awaits sentencing for trying to extort Nike, made overtures as he considered representing the Osundairo brothers, an attorney for the ex-”Empire” actor tells Sneed.
By Michael Sneed
Sneed hears ferociously outspoken attorney Michael Avenatti, a headline grabber recently found guilty of attempting to extort the sports apparel goliath Nike, is listed in a subpoena request by attorneys for actor Jussie Smollett, who is awaiting trial for staging a phony hate crime against himself.
The subpoena requested Avenatti to produce “all documents related to any offers made by Avenatti on behalf of his clients, the Osundairo brothers — and any documentation for other offers made to Smollett on behalf of his clients requesting money for the Osundairos,” said William Quinlan, Smollett’s Chicago attorney.
Translation: Any offers might show if there was an attempt to get a financial payoff to maintain the brothers’ silence, Quinlan alleged.
A message left at Avenatti’s office Friday went unreturned...
On March 3, 2019, Avenatti texted Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx: “I may be coming in to represent the brothers in the Smollett case. I know you recused yourself. Who is in charge that I can speak with?” — according to texts between Avenatti and Foxx’s office published by the Chicago Tribune...
Avenatti’s subpoena failed to be served because he is “still under house arrest awaiting sentencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Quinlan said, and not yet in the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons...
Quinlan tells Sneed he plans to issue a new subpoena once a date for the new Smollett trial is set and plans to list Avenatti as a potential witness in the upcoming trial...
Meanwhile, Smollett quietly slipped into town several weeks ago to attend the funeral of Chicago organizer Ina Wilson, whose son, Phil, a Black Lives Matter movement director, was Smollett’s mentor since he was 15 years old, said Quinlan.
“Phil asked Jussie to sing at his mother’s funeral and he did,” he said. “Phil was one of the four people along with Rev. Jesse Jackson to write character reference letters for him during the legal proceedings,” added Quinlan...
https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/9/5/21422883/jussie-smollett-michael-avenatti-william-quinlan-michael-sneed