Free Republic

The Illinois Supreme Court rejected former "Empire" star Jussie Smollett's request to throw out charges that accuse him of staging a racist, homophobic attack in Chicago. The ruling came Friday, along with the court's decision rejecting the actor's effort to remove the special prosecutor in the case. Smollett’s lawyers argued in an emergency petition that Cook County Circuit Judge Michael Toomin overstepped his authority and misinterpreted the law when he ordered the appointment of a special prosecutor. The court did not explain its decision to reject the arguments by Smollett’s lawyers. Smollett. 37, was initially accused by Cook County prosecutors...

... The steady exodus of African Americans has caused alarm and grief in Chicago, the nation’s third largest city, where black people have shaped the history, culture and political life. The population of 2.7 million is still nearly split in thirds among whites, blacks and Latinos, but the balance is shifting. Chicago saw its population decline in 2018, the fourth year in a row. Since 2015, almost 50,000 black residents have left. They have been driven out of the city by segregation, gun violence, discriminatory policing, racial disparities in employment, the uneven quality of public schools and frustration at life...

Bernie Sanders is throwing his weight behind Kim Foxx, the Cook County state’s attorney who is facing several primary challengers after a first term that has been simultaneously celebrated by progressives and come under fire nationally for her handling of actor Jussie Smollett’s case. Sanders’ campaign told POLITICO he is also endorsing Kane County, Ill. state’s attorney candidate Junaid Afeef, Travis County, Texas, district attorney candidate Jose Garza, and Harris County, Texas, district attorney candidate Audia Jones. The endorsements are in keeping with the Vermont senator’s attempts to position himself as the most progressive presidential candidate on criminal justice policy,...

Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) released a slew of endorsements for state attorneys on Thursday, including one for Kim Foxx, the Cook County state’s attorney who was investigated for her decision to drop charges against former Empire actor Jussie Smollett. “I am honored today to have the endorsement of Senator Sanders,” Foxx told Politico. “When I first ran four years ago on a platform that included a holistic approach to criminal justice reform, it was different than what previous prosecutors had ever attempted. Since in office, we’ve implemented bond and cannabis reform, we’re leading the country in vacating wrongful convictions...

Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx is on the defense after former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett was indicted Tuesday on charges related to filing a false police report about the alleged Trump-inspired hate crime he reported in 2019. Foxx recused herself from the subsequent investigation after Chicago police interviewed two brothers who said Smollett paid them to stage the attack, where he claimed two men in "Make America Great Again" hats assaulted him and called him homophobic and racial slurs, but her office continued the inquiry. The State's Attorney office then dropped all criminal charges against Smollett in exchange for...

Flashback to Chicago Police Reaction!

KONKOL COMMENTARY: The Sun-Times didn't just endorse Kim Foxx's reelection bid. Its owners donated $750,000 to her campaign since September. The investigation into whether any individuals within the Cook County State's Attorney's Kim Foxx's office engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with the Smollett investigation continues, according to special prosecutor Dan Webb. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford File) CHICAGO — It seemed strange enough the Sun-Times editorial board on Monday "strongly" endorsed Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx for a second term, telling voters to spare her the "injustice" of letting a "single high-profile mistake ... overshadow her accomplishments." Foxx's "single" flub,...

Nigerian brothers Abel and Ola Osundairo are prepared to testify at the upcoming trial for Empire actor Jussie Smollett, according to their lawyers, who also mentioned that the two brothers will not feel vindicated unless Smollett is found guilty of lying to police, adding that they do not have any “ill will” toward the actor — only toward his lawyers, for calling them “liars.” “They have no ill will towards Mr Smollett,” said Gloria Schmidt Rodriguez — one of the lawyers for the Osundairo brothers — to the Daily Mail. “They really feel like their role in this now is...

BOOM:Jussie Smollett has been indicted by a special prosecutor in Chicago for his fake hate crime HOAX last year.He is set to appear in court February 24th Justice is coming.RT! https://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1227347090046472192  

If Jussie Smollett had last year pleaded guilty to some minor charge, done 90 days of community service and paid a substantial fine to reimburse the $130,000 worth of overtime costs rolled up by Chicago police detectives investigating his ludicrous assault claims, he might today be in full rebound mode. Picture it: The tearful, dramatic mea culpa with Robin Roberts. A bold admission — “This is on me” — followed by a deflection of blame to drugs or alcohol or the dark demons of hate we all know are lurking out there, waiting for third-tier television stars to emerge from...

A hearing officer (Barbara Goodman) has recommended Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Clerk of the Circuit Court hopeful Michael Cabonargi appear on the March primary ballot despite challenges to their nominating petitions. Goodman also recommended Cabonargi appear on the March ballot. Cabonargi, who serves on the county’s Board of Review, is running for clerk of the circuit court. Foxx had 3,362 signatures more than the required minimum (7,279) to appear on the ballot after a petition challenge filed by former 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti’s campaign. Fioretti’s team alleged Foxx’s petition sheets showed a pattern of fraud.

As is now demonstrably clear, 2020 countywide Democratic candidates Kim Foxx and Mike Cabonargi are not feeling blessed. In fact, they are probably feeling angry, paranoid and downright disgusted. Both were the slated candidates for the state's attorney and Clerk of Circuit Court, respectively. Both were on the same nominating petition. Each gave the Democratic Party $40,000 to get the necessary minimum of 7,279 signatures, as well as to be on the party sample ballot and have a countywide mailer. And both are now in serious jeopardy of being knocked off the March 17 primary ballot due to an insufficient...

Why risk provoking the Carol Moseley Braun defense? You know, when pointing out obvious deficiencies of public officials who are black is portrayed as a form of bigotry. Thus, if I observe, that Foxx wasn't ready for the job her main qualifications being a law degree and a cozy spot under the wing of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who elevated her for reasons mysterious then suddenly I'm Bull Connor tightening my grip around an axe handle. When in reality, the defense itself is racist: the racism of low expectations, the unsupportable notion that certain public figures are exempt...

Although Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx submitted nearly three times the number of signatures needed to be placed on the ballot, challengers argued on Monday that more than half of her nominating petitions were improperly completed and she should be disqualified from seeking reelection. “We have a clear fraud,” said Jeffrey Greenspan, adding that because Foxx is the county’s highest-ranking law enforcement official, she has a special obligation to get it right.” Foxx’s attorneys said that there is no evidence to support such bold claims and that Foxx collected well above the required number of signatures, anticipating that some...

A Cook County judge has ordered Google to turn over Jussie Smollett’s emails, photos, location data and private messages for an entire year as part of the special prosecutor’s investigation into the purported attack on the actor. Two sweeping search warrants, obtained by the Chicago Tribune, provide the first public glimpse at the direction of the probe by special prosecutor Dan Webb more than four months into the investigation. The warrants, filed last month in Circuit Court, sought a trove of documentation from Smollett and his manager’s Google accounts — not just emails but also drafted and deleted messages; any...

Google has been ordered to turn over actor Jussie Smollett’s emails and other private information to a special prosecutor investigating the allegedly staged attack reported by the “Empire” actor last year, The Chicago Tribune reported Wednesday. A Cook County judge on Dec. 6 signed off on two warrants ordering Google to supply the information, according to a copy of the warrants obtained by the Tribune. Investigators’ reportedly sought Smollett’s emails, photos, location data and private messages from November 2018 to November 2019. The warrants are part of the investigation of special prosecutor Dan Webb, who was appointed to the case...

When the drunk-driving Chicago Police Superintendent, Eddie Johnson, announced his decision to boycott the president's speech to the 126th Annual Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police because of his "personal values," POTUS made the most of it. In his first visit to Chicago since taking office, President Trump did what he does best--he punched back twice as hard. In his speech to the IACP, Trump wasted no time in putting the blame for Chicago's out-of-control killings on Johnson's ignorant, incompetent leadership. "He's not doing his job," said Trump. “Since Eddie Johnson has been police chief more than...

Empire may be getting the band back together for one final encore. Showrunner Brett Mahoney tells TVLine that discussions are underway to possibly have embattled former cast member Jussie Smollett return as Jamal before the show wraps its six-season run this spring. “It would be weird in my mind to end this family show and this family drama of which he was such a significant part of without seeing him,” offers Mahoney, before adding, “It’s fair to say it’s being discussed, but there’s no plan as of yet to bring him back. There’s been no decision made.” The fact that...

Ousted Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Tuesday that he didn’t “intentionally mislead or deceive” anyone about the mid-October night he was found sleeping behind the wheel of his SUV. Johnson, 59, released a statement through his attorney a day after Mayor Lori Lightfoot fired him for “ethical lapses,” just weeks before he was set to retire. She said an inspector general’s report, which hasn’t been released publicly, revealed he misled her and the public about the circumstances of that evening and showed “flawed decision-making.” Two Chicago newspapers published reports Monday night that seem to contradict Johnson’s public account in...

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot fired the city’s retiring police superintendent Monday, citing “ethical lapses” that included telling lies about a recent incident in which Eddie Johnson was found asleep at the wheel of his car after having drinks. Named to the job in the wake of a police shooting that killed a black teenager, Johnson was dismissed after the mayor reviewed an inspector general’s report and video evidence related to the night in mid-October when officers discovered him unconscious in his SUV. He initially blamed his failure to take his blood pressure medication and said he had a few drinks...