Donald Trump Jr. sides with Rahm Emanuel, who calls Jussie Smollett dropped charges a 'whitewash of justice'
In a stunning turn of events, all charges against Empire actor Jussie Smollett were dropped by prosecutors in Chicago on Tuesday, weeks after he was indicted by a grand jury on 16 felony counts for allegedly staging a hate crime. But the Chicago Police Department and Mayor Rahm Emanuel are speaking out about the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office’s decision, with the mayor calling the move “a whitewash of justice.”
Emanuel talked about the financial and ethical costs of Smollett’s case during a Tuesday afternoon press conference, saying that the actor tarnished the credibility of future victims of hate crimes in an effort to advance his career.
“He did this all in the name of self-promotion,” Emanuel said. “This is a whitewash of justice. A grand jury could not have been clearer.”
Now, Emanuel is getting the support of people across Twitter, including an unexpected backing from Donald Trump Jr.
Never thought I’d agree 100% with RAHM Emanuel. https://t.co/Ni4kqLvjJR
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 26, 2019
WOW. "This is a whitewash of justice," said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Is he a conservative ideologue too? #PrivilegevsJustice
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) March 26, 2019
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I totally agree with Chicago Mayor RAHM EMANUEL!
This has been a total whitewash of the legal system! INFLUENCE got the charges against Smollett dropped! ALL POLITICS!!!😡😡😡— ❌ ❌ ROGER FRITZ ❌❌ (@RogerFritz7) March 26, 2019
Still, others have called Emanuel’s defense of true justice “ironic” considering the mayor has faced accusations of not taking accountability when it comes to crimes suffered by other black men throughout Chicago.
Re: #JussieSmollett: “This is without a doubt a whitewash of justice," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. "There is no accountablity. It is wrong, full stop."
Says the mayor who helped CPD cover up its murder of Laquan McDonald.
Shut up.
— Kirsten West Savali (@KWestSavali) March 26, 2019
Was it a whitewash of justice when Mayor Rahm Emanuel held back a video of a black man being gunned down like a animal? Was it a whitewash when statistical data was smothered to cover up the amount of brutality suffered by black men in Chicago?? https://t.co/hdgA2Zd5iG
— Hatold R. Hicks, Sr (@HatoldSr) March 26, 2019
Rahm Emanuel calling the Jussie Smollet charges being dropped a "whitewash of justice" is so Ironic it hurts. People are calling this "Black privilege." We really don't understand how race and power work in this country. Jussie is free in spite of the system not because of it.
— El Virgilio (@DisabledDream) March 26, 2019
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
• Prosecutors drop all charges against Jussie Smollett
• Lee Daniels addresses ‘pain and anger’ felt by ‘Empire’ team after Jussie Smollett fallout
• Jussie Smollett pleads not guilty to 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct
