Just when you thought the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Jussie Smollett absolution fallout couldn’t possibly dive any further into the Twilight Zone, it does just that. I swear I keep seeing Rod Serling in those Chicago alley shadows.
For those who’ve been living under a rock, former ‘Empire’ actor (he gone!) Jussie Smollett, in an effort to gain a greater salary, staged a MAGA attack on his gay self at 2 a.m. in his Streeterville neighborhood on a polar vortex February night. When that story unraveled faster than a cheap Chinese suit and after State’s Attorney Kim Foxx “recused” herself from the case, Smollett found himself facing 16 separate felony charges.
But then the not-really-recused Foxx suddenly slipped the bonds of her self-imposed “seclusion” to inexplicably drop every last one of those charges. To say the shit hit the fan after that bizarre decision would be a lot like saying that Donald Trump doesn’t Tweet.
Just ask Toni Preckwinkle.
Mayor Lightfoot! I’m thinking a Chicago-based reality show would be so wildly popular that the proceeds would put a real dent in that vast Second City pension debt. Call me!
But I digress!
Because there was Ms. Foxx at that press conference lectern, surrounded by the usual shameless race card playing suspects – Jesse Jackson, Bobby Rush, et al, tearfully explaining she was the victim of the worst kind of Fraternal Order of Police intolerance. “This is really about racism,” She said, adding that the CCSAO passes out similar get out of jail free cards all the time!
Though she couldn’t seem to come up with a single example. After witnessing that inspired performance, I’m thinking she should be Smollett’s ‘Empire’ replacement.
Then one of her press conference posse proceeded to call the Chicago Police the “Blue Klux Klan.” Please remind me, is Foxx a criminal defense attorney or the top County prosecutor because it’s getting kind of hard to tell.
Now, if Foxx had said, “Hey white people! You’ve been letting your Caucasian cronies off the criminal hook for decades. It’s about time we black folks got to apply the same standard,” I would’ve been good with it. But then to claim that “criminal justice reform” was behind her decision to absolve Smollett was more than a wee bit disingenuous.
Does racism exist in Chicago. Of course it does! Trust me, an honorary Mexican who looks very Jewish would know! Some studies say the Windy City is the second most segregated in the country.
But there is hope!
We just had two female African-Americans – one openly gay – in the mayoral finals, and the gay one won beat the Machine one by a 3 to 1 margin.
But nothing proves Chicago black folks have finally made it like the Smollett case does! Think about it! A black state’s attorney recuses herself, and when the outcome does not amuse her, she uses her office and clout to let a guilty as bleep black celebrity completely off the hook. And in the process, she destroys her black political mentor, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle without a second thought.
You’ve come a long way, baby! C’mon! That’s got “white folks” written all over it!
And Ms. Foxx can continue to shriek, keen, howl, sob, and furiously stomp her foot as she rends her garments, but stick a fork in her, she’s done! I’ll be shocked if she runs for anything after She couldn’t get elect precinct committeeman at this point.
At least she’s got that acting career to look forward to. There are a few more episodes of ‘Game of Thrones,’ aren’t there?