Chicago City Wire

Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, criticized the Illinois Supreme Court's decision to overturn Jussie Smollett's conviction, suggesting that high-profile individuals like Smollett can evade justice due to their celebrity status. Cortes argued that such cases expose a “two-tiered” system of justice, particularly in blue states.

According to Fox News, the Illinois Supreme Court recently overturned Jussie Smollett's conviction for staging a hate crime in 2019. Smollett, who had been sentenced in 2021 for falsely reporting an attack, argued that the prosecution violated his constitutional rights, citing a previous agreement that led to the dismissal of charges. The court ruled that Smollett’s rights were infringed upon when a special prosecutor revived the charges, despite an earlier decision not to pursue them.

“Two parallel systems of ‘justice.’ If you’re black and gay and beloved by celebs, Kamala, and the Obamas, you can commit a clear, serious crime…and get away with it, at least in blue states,” Cortes wrote in a Nov. 21 social media post on X.

The Jussie Smollett controversy centers around the actor's claim in January 2019 that he was the victim of a racially motivated and homophobic attack in Chicago. Smollett, who starred in the TV series Empire, reported that two men attacked him, tying a rope around his neck and shouting racist and anti-gay slurs. However, after an investigation, police revealed that Smollett had staged the attack with the help of two brothers, which led to charges of filing a false police report. 

In 2021, Smollett was convicted on five felony counts of disorderly conduct for staging the attack. The case sparked widespread public debate over issues of race, media sensationalism, and the justice system, with many questioning Smollett's motives and the broader implications of his actions.

The court's ruling did not clear Smollett's name, and the City of Chicago's civil suit to recover investigation costs remains ongoing

Steve Cortes is president of the League of American Workers and a political advisor and commentator. He previously traded global currencies and interest rates for 25 years for large international hedge funds. He has been an on-air broadcaster for CNBC, Fox News, and CNN. Cortes founded LAW in 2022 to conduct research and develops proposals on public policies impacting American workers and the economy.