Kim Foxx's Opponents For State's Attorney Come Out Swinging After New Jussie Smollett Indictment
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx refused on Tuesday to answer questions on about the new indictment against actor Jussie Smollett.
A special Cook County grand jury handed down the new indictment on Tuesday, following a six-month investigation by special prosecutor Dan Webb. It charges Smollett with six new charges of disorderly conduct, accusing him of filing false police reports claiming he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack last year.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, Foxx was invited to a forum for the Democratic candidates Tuesday night at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. She did not attend, but we should point out that she never accepted the invitation.
But Foxx's opponents – former Ald. Bob Fioretti and former prosecutors Bill Conway and Donna More - surely took the Smollett indictment as an opportunity to speak to the small crowd – and more importantly to slam Foxx about how they say she tarnished the State's Attorney's office with the handling of the case.
"What it establishes is that Foxx was influenced to drop the charges by those who are politically powerful by celebrity, and that's unacceptable," More said. "Foxx we can't have two justice systems in our county."
"Ms. Foxx has repeatedly not told the truth throughout this entire investigation since her original claim she recused herself from this investigation and from this case," Conway said. "So frankly, I don't think we can trust anything Ms. Foxx is saying."
Fioretti went further and called for Foxx's resignation.
"I think we need to restore the integrity, transparency, and accountability of the office, and the only way that can be done is by Kim Foxx resigning now," he said.
Foxx has no plans to step aside, and it is clear that the State's Attorney's race is only going to get heated as we are just over a month away from the primary election. That election is set for March 17.