[Suntzu]

Sounds like a grand jury is being convened. There's no clear explanation of how this goes away.

The Nigerian bros. have said that they're innocent, not homophobic, not anti-Trump. Smollett says he was attacked. Surely, either he or them has done something illegal at this point and it'll be baffling if it goes away legally.

Even if it doesn't get past the grand jury, which seems unlikely after Smollett lawyered up, the fact that Smollett said he was attacked by white dudes and he was actually quasi-attacked by black dudes he knows would just grow the conspiracy theory; there's no way to explain it and everyone knows it, even the other celebs.

This is also bad for the entire #MeToo related dialogue. The far left has been pushing the idea that people don't deserve a right to defend themselves from accusations and that would have been relevant here had this not been so fake that even they have had to backtrack on it. And the million pictures of Smollett looking smug out there aren't helping either. Narrative building for leftist totalitarianism has been dealt a serious blow.

The threatening letter is what will bite him in the ass. The fake attack is local. The letter is federal.

[Hong Wu]

The threatening letter is what will bite him in the ass. The fake attack is local. The letter is federal.

I dunno, I think we can all agree at this point that he probably sent the letter but he's advised by good attorneys now, so he probably won't admit to it, and would he really have been dumb enough to have kept the magazines the letters were cut out of? It would be pretty hard for them to prove the letter part. Would be interesting if they would try though.

[Hong Wu]

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/enterta ... 58301.html

Apparently Smollett pleaded guilty to a DUI and providing false information to the police in 2007. When pulled over, he pretended to be his own brother to try and get out of the DUI (in which case, his brother would have been punished for the DUI). Is this showing a pattern? What a swell guy though...

Update: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jussie-smo ... 019-02-20/

He's been charged, it's going to be super interesting!

@Suntzu the brothers have told a grand jury he crafted the letter himself...

[Hindsite]

Jussie Smollett is CHARGED for filing fake police report just hours after surveillance footage emerged of the Nigerian brothers in alleged 'attack' buying black ski masks and a red hat.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... tion-small

[XogGyux]

Guys, don't get distracted by the conspiracies and forget your tinfoil hats.

[maz]

Looking back at the early reactions to this is the most cringe and hilarious thing since the 2016 presidential elections.

This Media Matters blog came out the very next day after TMZ broke the incident

Twitter search suggestions promoted right-wing smear that attack against Jussie Smollett was a hoax

Hoax allegations also neared top of YouTube search
Media Matters Blog ›››  9 hours 2 min ago  ››› ALEX KAPLAN

Twitter’s search feature prominently suggested the right-wing smear that the alleged anti-gay and racist attack on actor Jussie Smollett was faked; it also featured a hashtag campaign that pushed the attack as a hoax.

On January 29, TMZ reported that Smollett was attacked by two men in ski masks who allegedly put him in a noose while spewing racist and homophobic slurs. According to TMZ, the attackers also reportedly yelled, “This is MAGA country” during the assault. The Chicago Police Department originally denied the “MAGA country” remark, but later said Smollett did tell them about the comment in a follow-up interview.

Anti-queer violence has been rising considerably, and the most recent FBI data shows that Black people are the most frequent victims of hate crimes. However, soon after TMZ’s initial report of Smollett’s attack, some right-wing media figures immediately started pushing that it was a hoax, before any further details were known. Far-right social media accounts and message boards also claimed that the “MAGA country” remark never happened or that the entire attack was a hoax, including Reddit’s r/The_Donald subreddit and 4chan’s “politically incorrect” message board /pol/.

During the morning and early afternoon of January 30, Twitter users trying to search for Smollett’s name were met with suggested results like “smollett hoax,” “smollett fake,” “smollett fake news,” and “smollett lying.”

Far-right social media accounts in the past have been able to manipulate algorithms on social media platforms like YouTube by acting in coordination to inauthentically game the results.

If hate crimes are so prevalent in the US, then why did all these goofy celebrities and politicians have to jump on a hoax hate crime in order to try and prove that Drumpf MAGA racist?

We need to deport Ellen Page back to Canada

Also, what the hell happened to her? She looks like Smeagol in the early stages of turning into Gollum LOL

[blackjack21]

The threatening letter is what will bite him in the ass. The fake attack is local. The letter is federal.

Yes. It will be interesting. High level attacks on Trump generally see the attacker going down, not Trump. I wonder if the Trump administration is going to smack Smollett down or adopt a soft touch. With the Washington Post getting sued, I think it would be kind of fun to see a fake news story prosecuted as a felony too.

I dunno, I think we can all agree at this point that he probably sent the letter but he's advised by good attorneys now, so he probably won't admit to it, and would he really have been dumb enough to have kept the magazines the letters were cut out of? It would be pretty hard for them to prove the letter part. Would be interesting if they would try though.

He was dumb enough to enlist those guys. The FBI can piece together where the letters came from, and scan credit cards, look up receipts, etc to see if he bought the same magazines, etc. as source for the lettering. He's pretty well fucked himself over it seems.

Apparently Smollett pleaded guilty to a DUI and providing false information to the police in 2007. When pulled over, he pretended to be his own brother to try and get out of the DUI (in which case, his brother would have been punished for the DUI). Is this showing a pattern? What a swell guy though...

What an asshole. In that case, I have no sympathy for him. Trying to get someone else convicted of a crime you committed suggests you've got a screw loose--and your own flesh and blood? Fucked up.

@Suntzu the brothers have told a grand jury he crafted the letter himself...

Then they already have the evidence they need for the federal charge. He's fucked.

Guys, don't get distracted by the conspiracies and forget your tinfoil hats.

The co-conspirators in this case are cooperating. Prisoner's Dilemma isn't playing out well for Jussie Smollet. Do you think being a Trump hater is going to help him get acquitted?

If hate crimes are so prevalent in the US, then why did all these goofy celebrities and politicians have to jump on a hoax hate crime in order to try and prove that Drumpf MAGA racist?

Yeah. Lara Logan jumped off the bandwagon and so did Kirsten Powers. Cognitive dissonance is supposed to blow up the intended target. Instead, its blowing up the people projecting it. They can't handle the psychological weapon they're using and they are melting down.

[XogGyux]

The co-conspirators in this case are cooperating. Prisoner's Dilemma isn't playing out well for Jussie Smollet. Do you think being a Trump hater is going to help him get acquitted?

Here is the thing Mr. Conspiracists. Every time there is one guy on the left accused of something illegal or despicable you guys salivate thinking the left will rush into their help like you guys do to your despicable people (which as it turns out, there are plenty more numerous ) and instead what you find is that when the evidence becomes clear, the left are the first ones to criticize, remove for office, or call for investigation. Unlike your people, who willignly ignore despicable, criminal acts and hapily vote for them to become your congresspeople, justices and president like in the case of Roy Moore, Kavanaugh and Trump . Meanwhile on the left, when we find out that Al Franken is kind of a creepy dude, we call for his resignation and he does it, when we find out that Anthony Weiner was a creep we stop supporting him and he resigned, and when we found out that he was actually breaking the law we want him to go to prison and serve his sentence.
I don't know if this guy is innocent or guilty of a false report. But what I do know is it is not our MO to go defend guilty people like you guys do all the time . We got standards, we got morals .
And also, you can pretend all you want that racism and homophobia is not rampant in this country, but pretending will not make it so. There is plenty of evidence. If I remember correct one of your own representatives that just got fraudelently elected is a fucking racist and got repudiated by everyone (including himself ) in Congress and the asshole does not even have the common sense to resign... because he cares far more about being a fucking powerful racist than he cares about doing the right thing.
Have a good day.

[Hong Wu]

I don't think there's any point in trying to name names here. The Kavanaugh stuff was never proven (or even prosecuted) and there's plenty of shady Dems out there, like the AG who has 911 calls attacking his girlfriend, the guys in Virginia who were wearing blackface despite being Democrats who condemn that sort of thing etc.

[Beren]

Isn't it possible that Smollett just tried to make his name a brand and screwed himself, as well as others who believed him or just jumped on the bandwagon? I mean what a botchy conspiracy it must have been if it's turned out to be all fake in three weeks.

The actor Jussie Smollett has been arrested after he was charged with lying to police when he claimed he was attacked and beaten by two masked men shouting racist and homophobic slurs, Chicago police have said.

Smollett, 36, who stars in the TV drama Empire, ignited a firestorm on social media by telling police on 29 January that two apparent supporters of Donald Trump had struck him, put a noose around his neck and poured bleach over him.

Why would have they done all this to him, by the way? Because of his role in the TV drama Empire?

Jussie Smollett staged attack because he was unhappy with salary, police say

[maz]

Isn't it possible that Smollett just tried to make his name a brand and screwed himself as well as others who believed him or just jumped on the bandwagon?

That seems to be the general consensus, but who can say for sure since this is all so goofy.

There is also a theory among some that some people that he did not stage this on his own, but that he worked with other parties with converging interests.

Honestly, this makes a lot of sense to me.

He didn't seem to even have a reason to do something so stupid. He was already very well connected and seemed to be on an upward trajectory. I read on a Jewish news site yesterday that just last week he was being nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his role in 'Empire'.

I don't this guy is rich though, not off 'Empire' money. He's not a top grossing music earner either, but he has been able to retain the services of the PR firm who handled Harvey Weinstein AND the law firm that represents Michael Cohen? No way he is doing that on the salary he's getting from a low-rated FOX drama.

He's probably getting these services paid for him because bigger fish need to be protected.

Just look at these ridiculous headlines. What you even make of them?

"The attack on Jussie Smollett is more proof that MAGA is a racist slogan"

"The Jussie Smollett attack highlights the hate black gay Americans face"

"Anti-LGBTQ attacks against high-profile queer Americans should be a wake-up call to everyone. The community has been struggling with increasing violence for years, and two recent attacks show that none of us is safe."

Jussie Smollett Gives First Interview Since Attack: 'I Want a Little Gay Boy to See That I Fought Fucking Back'

"Jussie Smollett Gives First Performance Since Attack: 'Now Is the Time. Be Blacker, Be Gayer'"



These news people just can't help digging deeper and deeper. They can't accept that the game has changed and they are behind the curve.

CNN’s Don Lemon: It’s ‘not his fault’ Jussie Smollett lost in the ‘court of public opinion’

CNN anchor Don Lemon offered his perspective of the growing controversy surrounding “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett.

Three weeks after Smollett claimed he was the victim of a racist and homophobic hate crime, he turned himself in to police on Thursday morning on a felony charge for filing a false police report as various leaks from the Chicago Police Department have indicated that he may have orchestrated the attack.

During his opening monologue, Lemon told his viewers that the story was “personal” since he and Smollett had been acquaintances and were in constant communication since the alleged incident and that Smollett told Lemon what he said had happened to him, which he admitted raised lots of questions.

He stressed that while Smollett is “innocent until proven guilty,” he still “squandered the good will of a whole lot of people” if his story wasn’t true.

“He even lied to a lot of people… including me. And that’s not cool,” Lemon said to his viewers. “He squandered the good will of very high-profile people who one day may be running this country like Kamala Harris and Cory Booker and people like President Trump.”

During a panel discussion, Lemon argued that appearing on morning shows “no longer works” when it comes to handling a PR crisis. And because it was a “political” story and not an entertainment one, he should have taken his case to “cable news or social media.”

“Nothing against morning shows, I love all of my colleagues there, I think they do a great job, but that’s not where it is now,” Lemon said. “Come on a show like this or any of my colleagues and sit down with us live for an hour or however long it takes, answer the questions that need to be answered from real journalists — I shouldn’t say that, from journalists who don’t have to worry about the entertainment arm of their particular company.”

Lemon insisted that Smollett has already “lost the fight in the court of public opinion,” but he hesitated to blame him for that defeat.

“He lost because — not his fault. Maybe people were — I don’t know what they were saying to him, maybe because of his representatives. Who knows? But it was handled poorly,” Lemon told the panel.

CNN legal analyst Joey Jackson pushed back, saying Smollett “went out and gave the interview” for "Good Morning America."

The CNN anchor later complimented "GMA" host Robin Roberts, saying she did a “terrific job” with her interview with Smollett. But also doubled down, telling his panel that handling a crisis with a morning show appearance is “old school.”

[Beren]

He didn't seem to even have a reason to do something so stupid. He was already very well connected and seemed to be on an upward trajectory. I read on a Jewish news site yesterday that just last week he was being nominated for an NAACP Image Award for his role in 'Empire'.

Which could be the reason then. It seems more likely than anything that he felt like gearing up his career that way.

And what bigger fish need to be protected? The Obamas themselves perhaps? I'm sure Smollett would like to be in such a nexus with them.

[blackjack21]

Here is the thing Mr. Conspiracists. Every time there is one guy on the left accused of something illegal or despicable you guys salivate thinking the left will rush into their help like you guys do to your despicable people (which as it turns out, there are plenty more numerous ) and instead what you find is that when the evidence becomes clear, the left are the first ones to criticize, remove for office, or call for investigation.

Hrmmm... and they demonstrate this by running Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 with a War on Women theme with Bill Clinton at her side? Where are the Senate Judiciary committee members with respect to the Lt. governor of Virginia? Where is the media demanding that the women be believed before their testimony has been made public? The left is rarely quick to remove anyone from power on their side if it means their side losing any power.

Unlike your people, who willignly ignore despicable, criminal acts and hapily vote for them to become your congresspeople, justices and president like in the case of Roy Moore, Kavanaugh and Trump .

See? There is the presumption of guilt again without any reliable evidence to support the charges. I will happily vote for anyone but the left, because being a leftist is despicable and criminal to the very core.

Meanwhile on the left, when we find out that Al Franken is kind of a creepy dude, we call for his resignation and he does it, when we find out that Anthony Weiner was a creep we stop supporting him and he resigned, and when we found out that he was actually breaking the law we want him to go to prison and serve his sentence.

Al Franken and Anthony Weiner were pushed out, because they would have like-minded replacements--i.e., no net loss of political power for the left. Franken would have survived had it not been for the hilarious picture of him mock-grabbing the woman's boobs, and that was because it would be used in campaign ads against them. So it was about self-preservation.

We got standards, we got morals .

Yeah. I'm laughing too.

And also, you can pretend all you want that racism and homophobia is not rampant in this country, but pretending will not make it so. There is plenty of evidence.

So true.

If I remember correct one of your own representatives that just got fraudelently elected is a fucking racist and got repudiated by everyone (including himself ) in Congress and the asshole does not even have the common sense to resign...

Who are you talking about? I live in California. My reps are all Democrats, so I'm guessing you aren't talking about them in spite of their racism.

Why would have they done all this to him, by the way?

Maybe Vladimir Putin put him up to it to help Trump, and he's going to make a ton of money after he gets out of jail.

These news people just can't help digging deeper and deeper. They can't accept that the game has changed and they are behind the curve.

Yeah, it seems the big media backed lie does not work the way it used to.

[Victoribus Spolia]

This whole thing has been hilarious and just works to further demonstrate that the left's greatest hinderance to winning an election are their own people. They just can't seem to get out of their own way on this stuff and its largely based on a fever-pitch sense of outrage which is itself driven on a deep miscalculation regarding the views of the general populace in the U.S. Not everyone is from LA or NYC and many don't want to be; having values that reflect this disconnect.

In the end though; its a shame for everyone, because this only further motivates the media-machine to push harder for even more extreme left candidates (instead of sparking self-reflection as it should) to the detriment of more reasonable and viable candidates currently trying their hand in the DNC.

It ultimately degrades the entire culture of discourse in this country as these incidents of media fuck-ups only serve to justify the Right's insistence that the accusations of racism are ploys and that the media is untrustworthy; while simultaneously enraging and entrenching further an increasingly more desperate left.

Its really not good for anyone that this keeps happening. You would think Kavanaugh and Covington would have taught some hard lessons, but apparently not.

[maz]

Which could be the reason then. It seems more likely than anything that he felt like gearing up his career that way.

Well if we can believe the police, they are saying that he staged this because he was dissatisfied with his salary. LOL he should have thought this one through a bit better.

The Democrats deserve to lose 2020 over this.

All Trump has to do to get re-elected is just mention Jussie Smollette and Covington and that the media is the enemy of the people every few weeks until the election.

Jussie Smollett staged hoax attack as 'publicity stunt...to promote his career': Police

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson blasted Jussie Smollett in an emotional press conference on Thursday in which he said that Smollett's alleged staging of a hoax attack was a "publicity stunt...to promote his career."

"Jussie Smollett took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career," Johnson said. "Why would anyone, especially an African-American man, use the symbolism of a noose to make false accusations? ... How can an individual who's been embraced by the city of Chicago turn around and slap everyone in the city in the face with these false claims?"

Johnson charged that Smollett, an actor on the hit show 'Empire' who has consistently denied any role in staging the alleged attack, orchestrated it because he was "dissatisfied with his salary."

[Beren]

Maybe Vladimir Putin put him up to it to help Trump, and he's going to make a ton of money after he gets out of jail.

I'm sure he helped Trump very much with this because people will remember this forever and vote accordingly.

The Democrats deserve to lose 2020 over this.

Maybe you guys should come out of your QAnon bubble or wherever you happen to live your online lives.

[Pants-of-dog]

This is one of several current threads where no one was actually hurt but some conservatives are treating this as a vindication of their victimhood.

[Victoribus Spolia]

This is one of several current threads where no one was actually hurt but some conservatives are treating this as a vindication of their victimhood.

Do you think making false accusations in order to justify a narrative is ever appropriate? Yes or No?

[Pants-of-dog]

Do you think making false accusations in order to justify a narrative is ever appropriate? Yes or No?

I do not think in terms of simplistic absolutes.

Do you agree that no one was hurt here?

[maz]

Do you agree that no one was hurt here?

It can be argued that this incident was staged to hurt people. If not physically, just to smear their political enemies. And just because no one was hurt doesn't excuse it, if that is what you are trying to argue.