{"id":116921,"date":"2019-02-19T12:31:57","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T16:31:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=116921"},"modified":"2019-02-19T12:31:57","modified_gmt":"2019-02-19T16:31:57","slug":"smollett-goes-into-super-defense-mode-after-hate-crime-hoax-exposed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/?p=116921","title":{"rendered":"Smollett Goes Into Super Defense Mode After Hate Crime Hoax Exposed"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Smollett Shuffles Attorneys, Hires Crisis Management Firm As Scandal Deepens<\/h1>\n<p><!--more-->ZeroHedge.com<\/p>\n<p><b><i>Update2:\u00a0<\/i><\/b>Smollett&#8217;s management team has reportedly retained the services of Anne Kavanaugh, whose Chicago firm\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/mediapros247.com\/about.html\">MediaPros24\/7<\/a>provides several media services\u00a0<strong>including crisis management.<\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Smollett\u2019s management team has retained Anne Kavanagh. <\/p>\n<p> Her local firm offers crisis management along with several other services. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JussieSmollett?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JussieSmollett<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cbschicago?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@cbschicago<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CharlieDeMar\/status\/1097223075664404480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>He is also reportedly no longer being represented by high-profile criminal defense attorney Michael Monico after an alleged disagreement about Smollett&#8217;s Saturday statement (h\/t\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nickmon1112\/status\/1097227247398772736\">Nick Monroe<\/a>).<\/p>\n<div class=\"SandboxRoot env-bp-350\" data-twitter-event-id=\"0\">\n<div id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"EmbeddedTweet EmbeddedTweet--cta js-clickToOpenTarget tweet-InformationCircle-widgetParent\" lang=\"en\" data-click-to-open-target=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CharlieDeMar\/status\/1097223075664404480\" data-iframe-title=\"Twitter Tweet\" data-scribe=\"page:tweet\" data-twitter-event-id=\"18\">\n<div class=\"EmbeddedTweet-tweetContainer\">\n<div class=\"EmbeddedTweet-tweet\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Monico told\u00a0<em>Fox 32 Chicago<\/em>&#8216;s Rafer Weigel that he &#8220;was but is no longer representing&#8221; Smollett, who is now represented by Chicago attorneys Victor Henderson and Todd Pugh.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Monico is no longer representing <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/JussieSmollett?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#JussieSmollett<\/a>. Per <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RoeConn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RoeConn<\/a> \u201cA source with direct knowledge says there was a disagreement about the decision to release yesterday\u2019s statement. He is now represented by Chicago attorneys Victor Henderson and Todd Pugh\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; raferweigel (@RaferWeigel) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RaferWeigel\/status\/1097221641036279808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">While we are not in a position to confirm, deny or comment on the validity of what&#39;s been unofficially released, there are some developments in this investigation and detectives have some follow-ups to complete which include speaking to the individual who reported the incident. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/b9GgXbSUt9\">pic.twitter.com\/b9GgXbSUt9<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AJGuglielmi\/status\/1097236283921977345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Update:\u00a0<\/i><\/b>According to\u00a0<em>CBS Chicago,<\/em>\u00a0the Nigerian brothers who were arrested and then released,\u00a0&#8220;Abel&#8221; and &#8220;Ola,&#8221; told detectives that\u00a0<strong>they did a practice run a few days before the &#8220;attack.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"SandboxRoot env-bp-350\" data-twitter-event-id=\"1\">\n<div id=\"twitter-widget-1\" class=\"EmbeddedTweet EmbeddedTweet--cta js-clickToOpenTarget tweet-InformationCircle-widgetParent\" lang=\"en\" data-click-to-open-target=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RaferWeigel\/status\/1097221641036279808\" data-iframe-title=\"Twitter Tweet\" data-scribe=\"page:tweet\" data-twitter-event-id=\"20\">\n<div class=\"EmbeddedTweet-tweetContainer\">\n<div class=\"EmbeddedTweet-tweet\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad__wrapper-element\"><\/div>\n<blockquote><p>Sources said one of the brothers held the rope and poured bleach while the other wore a plain red hat and yelled slurs at Smollett.<\/p>\n<p>The sources say the red hat was bought at an Uptown beauty supply store and that the attack was supposed to happen before Jan. 29. The brothers told detectives the three men rehearsed the attack days prior to it happening. &#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/chicago.cbslocal.com\/2019\/02\/16\/sources-brothers-released-bought-rope-used-in-jussie-smollett-attack\/\">CBS Chicago<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jussie Smollett update: Friends of Jussie, Abimbola &#39;Abel&#39; and Olabinjo &#39;Ola&#39; Osundairo, are cooperating with investigators and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/cbschicago?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@cbschicago<\/a> says they reportedly told detectives that they did a practice run a few days before. They are claiming this was premeditated and rehearsed.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/robbystarbuck\/status\/1097173786334392320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p>After Chicago police arrested, interviewed, and then released two Nigerian brothers\u00a0whose information &#8220;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/abc7news.com\/police-new-evidence-shifted-the-trajectory-of-jussie-smollett-investigation-2-brothers-cooperating\/5141900\/\">shifted the trajectory<\/a>\u00a0of the investigation<\/strong>,&#8221;\u00a0<em>Empire<\/em>\u00a0star Jussie Smollett is doubling down on his claim that he was attacked nearly three weeks ago at 2 a.m. in an upscale Chicago neighborhood.<\/p>\n<p>Continue reading at:\u00a0<a style=\"font-size: 12px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zerohedge.com\/news\/2019-02-17\/jussie-smollett-maintains-innocence-pits-himself-against-nigerian-brothers\">Smollett Shuffles Attorneys, Hires Crisis Management Firm As Scandal Deepens | Zero Hedge<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Smollett Shuffles Attorneys, Hires Crisis Management Firm As Scandal Deepens<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116921","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116921","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=116921"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116921\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=116921"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=116921"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateofthenation2012.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=116921"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}