Smollett apparent hate crime hoax a crisis for media that jumped to vilify Trump supporters

America’s progressives and their fellow-traveling media finally must cope with an apparent hate crime hoax that can’t be swept under the rug. I was stunned Saturday as I watched CNN’s hourly newscast at 7 PM EST: the first twenty minutes (two segments) were devoted to the news that Chicago Police were casting doubt on Jussie Smollett’s claim to have been attacked by noose- and bleach-wielding MAGA hat-wearing thugs who shouted their support for MAGA and Trump.  This editorial decision of the suits at the Trump-hating network must indicate that they realize they have a crisis on their hands.

Photo credit: YouTube screen grab

The media and many Democrat politicians had leaped on the opportunity to reinforce their false narrative that Trump is a stone-cold racist and homophobe, and his followers, driven mad by his rhetoric, are the modern-day incarnation of the KKK.  Media Research Center data shows that prior to the story starting to fall apart Thursday night:

…the flagship morning and evening broadcast network newscasts spent 101 minutes and 22 seconds helping to spin Smollett’s original claims from the first newscasts on the night of January 29 after the story broke through the February 14 evening newscasts (excluding teases).

ABC’s behavior was particularly pitiful. Between Good Morning America and World News Tonight, the Disney-owned network was responsible for 52 minutes and 38 seconds of sympathetic coverage.

Having been vilified by President Trump as “fake news,” CNN must have been particularly worried that unless it got in front of the collapsing Smollett narrative, their credibility would decline even further. More than one of the guests featured during the 20 minutes of discussion assured us that this should not mean that we discount other claims of hate crimes – which is sure sign that this is exactly what they fear. With overwhelming justification.

The wave of hate crime hoaxes is undeniable to anyone who doesn’t embrace the media blinders. The website Fakehatecrimes.org has documented no fewer than 349 hoaxes that have been perpetrated on the public. It is quite clear that there is not enough hate to go around, so those who profit off of claims of hate crime are reduced to making up bogus incidents (even burning down their own house in the case of a lesbian couple), or, like the Southern Poverty Law Center, placing Dr. Ben Carson on its Extremist” list (reversed after public shaming).

Make no mistake, there are victims of the Smollett claims. The Chicago Police Department reportedly has devoted huge resources to investigating the incident, because of its ultra-high public profile. At least a dozen detectives have been assigned to the case, according to media accounts. This means that they were not able to investigate real crimes, and the victims of those crimes may not receive justice. Evidence can disappear, witnesses can forget details, and and trails can go cold if matters are not promptly looked into. We will never know how many perps go free, never even accused, because of the resources that all the media attention demanded be spent on this incident.

We Trump supporters have been falsely slurred as racists. But don’t hold your breath for any apologies.

Best of all, if the case for fraud continues to develop evidence, we can look forward to another “trial of the century” that can’t be ignored: a genuine celebrity on trial for one or more felonies for a hate crime hoax. Filing a false police report is a class four felony in Illinois, which carries a possible 1 to 3 years in prison and a possible $25,000 fine. But Smollett may face additional criminal liability for obstruction of justice and other process crimes that may have been committed as he defended his tale.

While Illinois prisons are so overcrowded that judges are reluctant to send nonviolent offenders to prison, letting Smollett walk with only probation and a fine would cause an outcry, not just from slandered Trump supporters, but from police nationwide who do not appreciate being sent on wild goose chases. If Smollett is proven to have committed crimes and let off, the door remains open for other hate crime hoaxers secure in the knowledge that the authorities won’t send them to jail – as has happened too many times already – for example: No jail time for black hate crime hoaxers in Albany.

Fake hate crimes now are on the national agenda. It's about time.

CNN is justified in its panic. The evidence of fake news about Trump supporters is accumulating at an accelerating pace:

 https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/02/smollett_apparent_hate_crime_hoax_a_crisis_for_media_that_jumped_to_vilify_trump_supporters.html

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/02/after_the_outrage_dem_2020_candidates_silent_about_smollett_hoax.html

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/02/flashback-actor-of-the-year-jussie-smollett-cries-and-lies-on-gma-lashes-out-at-hateful-doubters-video/

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/02/it-gets-better-jussie-smollett-rehearsed-maga-assault-with-nigerian-brothers-report/

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/02/how_the_smollett_hate_crime_case_unraveled.html

https://www.dailycaller.com/2019/02/17/politicians-rushed-to-judgement-smollett/