All in Their Feelings: Chicago Suburban (Read:White) Cops Call for Kim Foxx's Resignation Over Jussie Smollett Case

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Kim Foxx
Kim Foxx
Photo: Associated Press

And the piling on when it comes to Chicago’s chief prosecutor, Kim Foxx, continues.

Now, a group of suburban Chicago police chiefs have joined the call of Chicago’s police union in demanding Foxx’s resignation over her office’s handling of the Jussie Smollett case.

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After Smollett’s claims of having been the victim of a racist, homophobic attack during a middle-of-the-night run to Subway were found to be a hoax by Chicago law enforcement, the Empire actor was hit with a slew of charges. Smollett maintained he was telling the truth, and all charges were dismissed by Foxx’s office in exchange for community service and the forfeiture of Smollett’s $10,000 bond, enraging many police and government officials.

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“What she is doing is enabling the offenders; bad guys are not being held accountable,” Chief Steven Stelter, of the West Suburban Chiefs Association, said Thursday during a press conference calling for Foxx to step down, WGN 9 reports.

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The North Suburban Association of Chiefs of Police represents more than 30 police departments. Duane Mellema, the head of the group, said a no-confidence vote taken Tuesday was unanimous, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

As the Sun-Times reports:

In a letter sent to Foxx, Mellema, who is police chief in Park Ridge, expressed concern over prosecutors’ refusal to file felony charges in certain crimes. He said the Smollett case, “metaphorically, is the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

“The abrupt dropping of the 16 indictments against ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett during an unannounced court hearing on March 26, 2019, is the latest and most egregious example of the failure by you and your staff to hold offenders accountable,” Mellema states in the letter.

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Despite these chiefs being seemingly all in their feelings regarding Foxx, for her part, the Cook County state’s attorney said she has no intention of stepping down.

“I was elected by the people of Cook County to pursue community safety, prevent harm, and uphold the values of fairness and equal justice. I’m proud of my record in doing that, and I plan to do so through the end of my term and, if the people so will it, into the future,” Foxx said in a statement, according to WGN 9.

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In addition, the dearth of African American voices in the latest call for Foxx’s head wasn’t lost on many. Notice anything or anyone missing in the image below from the police chiefs’ press conference?

Image for article titled All in Their Feelings: Chicago Suburban (Read:White) Cops Call for Kim Foxx's Resignation Over Jussie Smollett Case
Screenshot: WGN 9
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In a statement to WGN 9, Sean Howard, a spokesperson for some suburban police departments, called the press conference “nothing more than a political stunt.”

“To suggest that the African American police chiefs are in agreement with this alleged vote of no confidence is baseless and without merit,” Howard said.