A PR firm representing actor Jussie Smollett said that “every iota” of the actor’s story about being attacked by Trump supporters is true despite the city of Chicago insisting otherwise.
“Every iota of information … Smollett has stated has been fully corroborated,” the statement said in part.
Smollett alleged he was attacked by two assailants donning Make America Great Again caps that targeted him because he is gay and black.
“This is MAGA country!” Smollett said the men declared as they poured a bleach-like liquid on him and tied a rope around his neck.
Police launched an immediate investigation into the incident and quickly found inconsistencies that suggested Smollett paid two men to attack him. According to police and prosecutors, the men, Nigerian nationals, had worked with Smollett on the set of Empire, which filmed in and around Chicago.
The statement comes just two days after a filing by the city of Chicago reaffirming their intention to recoup the cost of the investigation from Smollett via a lawsuit filed in April.
Chicago prosecutors initially charged Smollett with 16 felonies related to faking the hate crime, but State Attorney Kim Foxx dropped all charges, calling the criminal pursuit “excessive.”
Chicago authorities cited GPS evidence, canceled checks, and video recordings as evidence that proves the crime was a hoax perpetuated by Smollett. It was not immediately clear what part of his original statement was “fully corroborated” by police, as the PR statement asserts.
