Charge Jussie Smollett for Filing False Police Report [OPINION]

Empire actor Jussie Smollett, raised national attention to himself when he claimed he was viciously attacked on January 29. He told police that the attackers put a noose around his neck and poured bleach all over him as they beat him.

He claimed that they were making racial and homophobic derogatory slurs while doing so. He described the attackers as being two white males, wearing red MAGA (Make America Great Again) hats, connoting that they were Trump supporters.

This attack was said to take place at 2 a.m. outdoors with a temperature of minus-seven degrees in a predominantly black neighborhood, one where many openly gay people also live. His neighbors expressed strong doubt about the account.

I originally read the article and thought to myself, Hmm, really? KKK-type racists are going to Chicago to attack a black man? That doesn't sound very safe to me. That's how you get your ass kicked, really. Plus they were stalking him from the streets at 2 a.m, just after he flew back into town and as he exited a nearby Subway sandwich shop?

Think about this: these guys were prepared to attack Smollett, with ski masks, bleach, and rope all at the ready for a guy who arrived blocks away at a sub shop they somehow knew he'd have a hankering for, and who wasn't even back to his apartment yet from the airport?

Well, it turns out the police are prepared to accuse Smollett of paying two black men of staging a planned and fake attack. Chicago Police did a fantastic job uncovering this clumsy ruse within three weeks.

The two brothers were arrested and brought in for questioning from O'Hare Airport as they arrived back into town from Nigeria. Initially, I made a joke to myself Wow, are these some tough KKK racist types or what? First, they go after a black man in Chicago and then they go down to Nigeria to look for some more.

All kidding aside, the two brothers, who are American citizens and sons of Nigerian parents, were very cooperative with police, who searched their apartment while they were being questioned. The police discovered numerous articles of evidence including proof that they bought the rope which Smollett said was a noose tied around his neck.

Smollett has doubled down since, saying that his story would not have been doubted if an attacker had been "a Muslim, or a Mexican, or someone black."

Smollett is close friends with some very well known and powerful Democrats, including Senator Kamala Harris, President and Mrs. Obama, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Corey Booker and others. Many of them didn't wait for a fact to come in once this attack was reported by Smollett.

Political clown Al Sharpton once again pounced on the story without knowing a fact.

To me, it is fair to presume that the Democratic activist actor staged this to incite anger and hatred against Trump supporters. In fact, if I were President Trump, I'd instruct the FBI to look into all communications made by Smollett to see if there were any political conspiracy implications to attempt to create this dangerous racial divide.

What if this was not Smollett's idea but someone from the DNC or even a specific presidential candidate?

He needs to be charged, and anyone who abetted him, planned or conspired needs to face justice as well.

Not only does this put blacks and gays in a lesser position to file real reports if there are real issues of criminal racist attacks, but it also incites real anger toward Trump supporters putting them in potential harm's way through impulsive retaliation.

All, it seems today, based on a lie.

Ken Pittman is the host of The Ken Pittman Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact him at ken.pittman@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @RadioKenPittman. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.