Rep. Bobby Rush unloads on Smollett over ‘devious,’ ‘disgraceful’ actions

Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) blasted “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett on Thursday as “devious” and “disgraceful” for allegedly staging an attack against himself.

“But, now we know that this reported attack was a total and complete lie. I am beyond disappointed and extremely infuriated at Smollett’s brazen, devious, and disgraceful behavior,” Rush said in a statement.

“I am outraged that he orchestrated an inflammatory story, which he knew would further divide this nation. He was aware that hate crimes are on the rise and — in an act of self-centered desperation and stupidity — he tried to inject himself into the center of a narrative that is rightfully focused on actual victims.”

{mosads}“I hope that Smollett is aware that his stunt has made it harder for real victims to be believed and has caused them to relive their victimization, both from being attacked and from having their stories called into question.”

Smollett surrendered to authorities Thursday morning after the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved a disorderly conduct charge against him for allegedly filing a false police report. 

The actor, who is black and gay, had claimed to Chicago police last month that two men beat him, tied a rope around his neck and poured an unknown chemical substance on him.

“This stunt was orchestrated by Smollett because he was dissatisfied with his salary,” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said at a news conference Thursday. “So he concocted a story about being attacked.”

The actor, Johnson said, “took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.”

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle rushed to condemn the attack when it was initially reported, including Rush who called a hate crime investigation into the incident.