So about this "MAGA" attack on the Empire actor

[Fat Cat]

Ok folx, what do my frens think of the CT that Jussie was in cahoots with Kamala on this?

As dumb as the idea that two Chicago MAGA guys at 2:00 AM hunted down Jussie in the first place.

This was Tonya Harding & Jeff Gillooly quality planning.

No question it was Keystone level stuff. BUT...two important things:

Stupid or not, he really did it.

And, stupid or not, Kamala jumped on it like it's name was Willie Brown.

Now I'm no lover of elaborate theories, but the idea that it's too dumb to try ignores the basic fact that someone did try at least 50% of it, and Kamala really did try to capitalize on it, so we're incontrovertibly 3/4ths of the way there. The only question now is whether they conspired in advance, and given their close prior relationship, it's at least worth considering.

[Fat Cat]

I'm not sure what the over under is on this but...

- Jussie and Kamala met as part of a Time's Up event against sexual harassment.

- Jussie executes hate crime hoax.

- When Foxx was elected the head of her transition team was Sen. Kamala Harris.

- Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx recuses herself from the investigation to address potential questions of impartiality based upon familiarity with potential witnesses in the case.

- And today, Lisa Borders, the head of Time's Up resigns after just 2 months on the job "for family reasons".

...which kinda makes it look like Kamala put in a call.

#holla4kamala

[nafod]

I think it makes more sense that she knew him, and reflexively supported him when this came out. Big mistake. With friends like Jussie...

It’d be stupid to fake a hate crime. Just wait for the next real one.

This smacks of Comet PingPong level of conspiracy theorizing.

But I’ll keep the bucket of popcorn ready.

[Schlegel]

I think it makes more sense that she knew him, and reflexively supported him when this came out. Big mistake. With friends like Jussie...

It’d be stupid to fake a hate crime. Just wait for the next real one.

This smacks of Comet PingPong level of conspiracy theorizing.

But I’ll keep the bucket of popcorn ready.

But waiting for real hate crimes you can tie to Trump takes too long! What was the NY times statistic? 200+ antisemitic hate crimes in the calendar year at time of article and and not one perpetrator tied to a right wing group?

[Fat Cat]

On one hand, I want to believe you are right, Nafod.

On the other, the last "lynching" that I can find was in 1981. So, yeah, you might have to wait for a real one to come along.

I don't know what happened, and that's the truest thing on this whole stupid thread. But it's pretty amusing to see Kamala go from, "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," to, "I'm not going to comment until I know the outcome of the investigation," in the space of a few days.

We know a hoax occurred. We know she behaved opportunistically with regard to it. And we know that she had prior connections with the perpetrator and the investigator. That's not the realm of Comet Ping Pong.

[Schlegel]

Grand jury is out. Felony charge for Jussie,

[Fat Cat]

"Felony criminal charges have been approved by Cook County against Jussie Smollett for Disorderly Conduct / Filing a False Police Report. Detectives will make contact with his legal team to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest."

Justice for Jussie, indeed.

[Grandpa's Spells]

Future wild claims of a racial nature shall henceforth be jusspicious.

[johno]

Since the Tawana Brawley Hoax in 1987, the media have been willing dupes in the Hate Crime scam. It won't end now.

[nafod]

Future wild claims of a racial nature shall henceforth be jusspicious.

I am russpicious of Fatty’s Kamala Konspiracy. Sounds like Wild Bill’s work again.

[Grandpa's Spells]

Since the Tawana Brawley Hoax in 1987, the media have been willing dupes in the Hate Crime scam. It won't end now.

This is silly. There are at least three prominent racist incidents in the last week month (MLK gun nut, Coast Guard would-be assassin, AL editor calling for return of the KKK) where if the media wanted to push a narrative there's no lack of ammunition. Even if what you think they want was accurate, the only thing the media needs to do is maintain credibility, which getting duped undermines.

[Turdacious]

Since the Tawana Brawley Hoax in 1987, the media have been willing dupes in the Hate Crime scam. It won't end now.

This is silly. There are at least three prominent racist incidents in the last week month (MLK gun nut, Coast Guard would-be assassin, AL editor calling for return of the KKK) where if the media wanted to push a narrative there's no lack of ammunition. Even if what you think they want was accurate, the only thing the media needs to do is maintain credibility, which getting duped undermines.

I don’t buy that. Both from the ‘this is real’/ ‘fake but accurate ‘ and the ‘this is bullshit’ perspectives this story had legs, just like the Covington Catholic story. That a small town newspaper editor in Alabama wants the Klan to come back is neither surprising nor news— he probably still had his robes.

[Fat Cat]

It's a pity that Jussie couldn't have talked to Morton Downey, Jr. in the planning phase of this thing.

[Kazuya Mishima]

As a Trump supporter who seeks to reach across the aisle and maintain a level headed dialogue between Americans with differing political views, I promise that I will view this incident as nothing more than a selfish and criminal act by Jussie Smollett. It should not, and will not, reflect broadly across the various groups that he symbolizes and represents...kikes, faggots, and niggers.

[nafod]

Have to admit, I’d never heard of the guy until this went down. No such thing as bad publicity.

[Grandpa's Spells]

Kamala Harris’s latest is lame. It’s not that hard to come down hard on Jussie of all people.

[seeahill]

I feel bad that he couldn't find any white friends to pretend to beat him up.

That's your racism right there.

[powerlifter54]

Black Lies Matter

[Turdacious]

From a 3FEB2019 article:

Empire actor Jussie Smollett's performed for the first time since his attack telling fans he'll always stand for love.

On stage, before singing, he fought back tears as he told fans: "I had to be here tonight, y'all. I can't let [them] win." [...]

While Jussie's had a huge amount of support, others have questioned his version of what happened.

He told the crowd he wanted to clarify a few things.

"Just because there has been a lot of stuff said about me that's absolutely not true," he said.

He glanced at the balcony: "I'm sure my lawyer's sitting up there like. 'No, Jussie, no.'"

"I was bruised but my ribs were not cracked; they were not broken," he said referring to some notes he'd brought on stage.

"I went to the doctor immediately. I was not hospitalised.

"Both my doctors in LA and Chicago cleared me to perform, but said to take care, obviously.

"And above all, I fought them back," he said to cheers.

Then he paused and said: "I'm the gay Tupac."

https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-47107639

50 Cent FTW:

[Grandpa's Spells]

Well I think you all owe Jussie an apology.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loc ... story.html

[Fat Cat]

Disgusting.

[Turdacious]

Well I think you all owe Jussie an apology.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loc ... story.html

Serious question-- what is the reaction from people in Chicagoland?

[Turdacious]

Prosecutor's office: fuck the police

Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson said his department learned about the dropped charges when the news was made public.

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/jussie ... index.html

[Grandpa's Spells]

Well I think you all owe Jussie an apology.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/loc ... story.html

Serious question-- what is the reaction from people in Chicagoland?

It just happened, but in the office and FB people are very surprised and there's a bit of disbelief. There was some early skepticism in the story, even in circles where you would be reluctant to say so, and once the story fell apart I think everybody assumed he was getting convicted of something, even if the sentence was nothing. The police superintendent and mayor are apparently pretty pissed. Plus this asshole is still proclaiming his innocence.

Having watched the wheels of justice turning stupidly and slowly over a couple years after a bookkeeper stole some money at work, it would not surprise me if this prosecutor seriously misjudged the baseline expectation of fairness and just shitcanned his career.

[nafod]

COMPLETE AND TOTAL EXONERATION