CHICAGO (1010 WINS/AP) -- President Donald Trump is calling on the FBI and Department of Justice to review how Chicago prosecutors handled the case against "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett.
Prosecutors offered little explanation and infuriated Chicago's police chief and mayor this week when they dropped charges against Smollett related to making a false police report. Yet prosecutors still insist the actor faked a racist, anti-gay attack on himself in January.
Trump tweeted early Thursday that prosecutors' handling of the case was "an embarrassment" to the country, and called on the federal agencies to review what he called an "outrageous" case.
FBI & DOJ to review the outrageous Jussie Smollett case in Chicago. It is an embarrassment to our Nation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2019Smollett's attorney says two brothers who claim they worked with the actor to stage the attack are lying. Investigators alleged Smollett staged the attack with the hopes of gaining attention and advancing his career.
On Wednesday, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx defended her office's decision to drop all charges against Smollett, who was accused of staging a racist and homophobic attack on himself. "I believe this is a just outcome based on the circumstances," Foxx said.
Prosecutors dismissed all charges but still maintained Smollett lied about being attacked. And Mayor Rahm Emanuel has called the dropping of charges "a whitewash.''
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