Kamala Harris Campaigns for Prosecutor Who Dropped Jussie Smollett Charges
Sen. Kamala Harris, who publicly supported alleged race hoaxer Jussie Smollett, is now campaigning for the Chicago official who refused to press charges against the former TV star.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, will be stumping for Cook County, Illinois, State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
Harris recorded a voice message for robocalls that will be made this week in support of Foxx, the report said.
“As a former prosecutor, I know firsthand that the state’s attorney is a position that has the power to change lives,” Harris says on the call to voters, according to the Tribune.
“And this is exactly what Kim Foxx has done in her four years in office. Kim has used her position to stand up to Donald Trump’s policies and protect our communities.”
Foxx’s opponent, Republican challenger Patrick O’Brien, told the Tribune through a representative that by bringing the California Democrat onboard, Foxx has shown she is desperate.
“Last-ditch tactics like this tell us that Kim Foxx is rightfully concerned that she will lose this race,” an O’Brien representative told the newspaper.
“Kim Foxx can line up as many robocalls from politicians outside of Cook County as she wants, but Cook County voters know the truth about her record: Under Foxx, crime is up, prosecutions are down, and families and neighborhoods are less safe,” the representative said.
Foxx is known nationally for dropping the ball in the case against Smollett last year.
On Jan. 29, 2019, Smollett claimed he was attacked at 2 a.m. near his Chicago residence by two masked supporters of President Donald Trump.
Smollett, who was known for his role on the Fox network program “Empire,” said the attackers beat him, poured what he thought was bleach over him and wrapped a noose around his neck.
He also claimed the alleged attackers informed him he was in “MAGA country,” which connected the attack to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, ABC News reported.
Harris quickly defended the TV actor online.
In a tweet the day Smollett made his claims, she called him “one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know” and said the incident was “an attempted modern day lynching.”
“No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate,” Harris added. Smollett is black and gay.
.@JussieSmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery.
This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 29, 2019
But authorities did not buy Smollett’s implausible story, and he soon found himself under investigation.
Chicago police said they had overwhelming evidence that the attack was staged by Smollett, and two men later came forward to say the actor paid them to assault him.
Smollett was charged, but Foxx refused to pursue charges against him.
The case is still being resolved, and Smollett now faces other charges linked to the alleged attack.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that on Oct. 14, a judge dismissed a motion by Smollett to have charges against him thrown out.
Smollett was charged with six counts related to filing a false report in February.
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