Watch the double standard.
Smollett charges dropped = proof of pure innocence
Trump investigated but not charged = collusion exists
Prosecutor didn't want to take the public heat that corresponds with going after a member of the protected class. Money probably changed hands too. Chicago is totally corrupt.
Charged in the first place because they thought they had enough evidence of false report. And maybe they did, and the defense was going to be (correctly) selective prosecution. The system doesn't want that to get out, that it tolerates false reports by not prosecuting them.
Could be DS changing the press narrative. Too much coverage of the Mueller report, need to bury that. Plus, there was coverage of investigation into the false accusations against Trump and the US government working to affect then undermine the results of a US election.
Federal charges was pure speculation. He did use mail, so there is a potential federal offense.
Small potatoes for DOJ.
If the evidence is reliable, there is plenty the feds could do. Hate crime is not one of those things. The feds won't bother with this pipsqueak.
Elements of federal hate crime are not met. All he caused was false report to the public and the police to run around. The police don't care, they are paid by the hour. It is perfectly legal to lie to the public.
The phrase "rule of law" is a falsehood used to mollify a gullible and lethargic public.
The law has always been playground for the privileged. It is an industry, a profit center for people who choose that line of work. You get the results you pay for.
I don't take advice from pedophiles, but thanks for playing.
Cook County statement says in light of him dedicating bond to the country, justice is done.
Back door plea bargain. He did it, but he's a good guy and has suffered enough.
If you have enough money to buy off the justice system, then yeah, go for it. It's risky otherwise.
Smollette donated his bail to Cook County. In exchange, in an act of exercise of prosecutorial discretion, Cook County let him off.
That's how the system works. Simple transparent example of the justice system.
Oh, it wasn't me saying Smollette's a good guy. That's me paraphrasing Cook Country prosecutors.
https://twitter.com/CharlieDeMar/status/1110565564798455808
Right, technically. Plea bargain involves admitting some part of the alleged action. Smollette bought his way out of the charge.
Chicago PD is pissed.
This is a fairly pedestrian example of routine corruption. The difference is we get to see this one, the incident making national news in the first place.
Most of the corruption goes unpunished, even celebrated. Big stuff, like finding homo marriage and abortion in the constitution, is "rule of law" level corruption.
But they have the guns, and they will use them.
Sealing the case now sets the stage for throwing out / shredding the file. There will be no piece of official paper that shows Smollette had a run-in with the law. If not sealed, the public could get a copy and get around the government fuckery.
Sociopaths gravitate to and obtain positions of power. Cops, prosecutors, judges …