Jussie Smollett Prosecutor Kim Foxx Fends Off Primary Challengers

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx won her primary race in convincing fashion on Tuesday, according to returns reported by NBC Chicago.

Foxx was thrust into the national spotlight in 2019 when she dropped charges against former Empire star Jussie Smollett, who was accused of staging a hate crime against himself in downtown Chicago and blaming the attack, involving a noose and bleach, on supporters of Donald Trump.

With 83 percent of precincts reporting, Foxx received 48 percent of the vote in the Democrat primary, according to NBC Chicago.

Foxx was facing three challengers: Bill Conway, Donna More, and Bob Fioretti.

Conway, a former assistant state’s attorney, had $10.5 million dollars spent on his behalf by his father, the Chicago Tribune reported.

He conceded the race to Foxx after receiving 33 percent:

Conway has conceded Kim Foxx folks say:
Cook County state’s attorney candidates combined have raised more than $16M, more than doubling 2016′s haul https://t.co/z50nbqJMxp

— Lolly Bowean (@lollybowean) March 18, 2020

Breitbart News previously reported:

Records show Cook County’s top prosecutor asked Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to let the FBI investigate the alleged attack on Empire actor Jussie Smollett before the actor was charged with lying to authorities.

Email and text messages given to the Chicago Sun-Times by Foxx show she made the effort after former first lady Michelle Obama’s chief of staff Tina Tchen contacted Foxx to set up a telephone conversation with a Smollett relative.

According to the USA Today, Foxx told the former Michelle Obama aide that she “convinced” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson to request the FBI “take over” the investigation. In a text message to a Smollett family member, Foxx confirmed that she had made the request. “Spoke to the superintendent earlier, he made the ask,” wrote Foxx. “Trying to figure out logistics. I’ll keep you posted.”

Prior to dropping the charges, it was revealed through text messages obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request that Foxx had called Smollett a “Washed up celeb who lied to cops.”

Foxx’s win may come as a surprise. An informal survey of Patch readers in early March found 90 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t vote for Foxx in the primary.

The Democrat will face the likely winner of the Republican primary, Patrick O’Brien, in November.

Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @KyleOlson4.