Kim Foxx expresses regrets, hopes in one-on-one interview ahead of upcoming election
COOK COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx in the hot seat once again over the Jussie Smollett case, with less than 2 months until the primary election.
Monday she faced a barrage of questions before the Chicago Tribune editorial board.
Foxx also sat down with Political Reporter Craig Wall for a one-on-one interview to talk about her regrets and her hopes for the upcoming election.
Foxx is facing four challengers in this race, the three Democrats running against her, and the ghost of Jussie Smollett -- which in many ways could be her biggest nemesis.
However, Foxx said as she runs for reelection, she is not running from her decision to drop felony charges against actor Smollett for his false claim about being the victim of a racist and homophobic attack by President Trump supporters.
"I wish in the days thereafter that we were more diligent in making sure people understood what we had done, why we had done it," Foxx said.
A special prosecutor is now reviewing the case. Foxx would not say if the special prosecutor does decide to bring charges against Smollett, whether that would be an indictment of how she handled the case.
"You know I can't speak to what he's going to do and how he charges the case," Foxx said. "In the meantime people have to look at the totality of my efforts in this office, taking this office from the false confession capital of the United States to leading on wrongful conviction, exonerations, the work on cannabis reform, [and] the work on the gun crime strategies unit."
Foxx's opponents, Bob Fioretti, Donna More and Bill Conway continue to beat the Jussie Smollett drum. Conway also releasing a new ad Monday which pointed to the inequity in how his client's case was handled for also filing a false police report.
"It's not right that Candace, who by the way has had no contact with the criminal justice system other than this, got one deal and the Hollywood celebrity got another because he knew people," said Bill Conway, (D) Candidate for Cook County State's Attorney.
Fioretti also criticized Foxx's campaign for not being tough enough on shoplifters, claiming she is emboldening them to break the law -- which Foxx called a false narrative.
She also released her own ad the same day, touting her stand against the NRA and President Trump's stand on immigration.
But Conway, who's campaign has been funded by more than $4.8 million from his billionaire father who founded the Carlisle group, is facing his own scrutiny.
"The Carlisle Group came into Illinois engaged in pay to play, the three people they were involved with Tony Rezko, Bill Cellini, Stuart Levine, all convicted, the Carlisle group wasn't charged, but that's the money behind candidate Conway" said Donna More, (D) Candidate for State's Attorney.
Conway made no apologies for his father's money, saying it means he won't be politically beholden to anyone. On the other hand, Foxx said she hopes the special prosecutors report comes out soon so people can have clarity on how her office handled the case, a case she accuses her opponents are politicizing.
Foxx was also asked if she is getting a fair shake because of the Smollett case.
"Look, I'm an elected official I signed up for this. I signed up for criticism and critique, and I believe that that is my job to be publicly accountable,"she said.
