Chicago’s police union has demanded a federal investigation into the county’s top prosecutor for allegedly interfering in the Jussie Smollett case after being contacted by Michelle Obama’s former chief of staff.
The Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the department’s rank-and-file, sent a letter earlier this week asking the Department of Justice to probe Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, according to ABC 7 Chicago.
Foxx tried to convince Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to turn Smollett’s case over to the FBI — after Tina Tchen, the former senior Obama aide, reached out to her, saying the “Empire” star’s family had “concerns.”
“That recusal is wholly insufficient,” FOP president Kevin Graham said in a statement. “In order for Ms. Foxx to properly charge and try this case, her entire office should have recused itself and a special prosecutor been appointed.”
Foxx’s office eventually charged Smollett, 36, with 16 felony counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly filing a false police report. The singer-actor, who is gay and black, claimed he was attacked in a racist, homophobic hate crime in January, but police say he staged the beatdown because he was unhappy with his salary on “Empire.”
Tchen texted Foxx on Feb. 1 — three days after Smollett reported the attack and when he was still considered a victim.
“I wanted to give you a call on behalf of Jussie Smollett and family who I know. They have concerns about the investigation,” Tchen wrote.
Foxx emailed Tchen, a close pal of Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s wife, later the same day, “Spoke to the Superintendent Johnson. I convinced him to Reach out to FBI to ask that they take over the investigation. He is reaching out now and will get to me shortly.”