nbc tower, decision 2019, the race for chicago mayor. brought to you by nbc5 and telemundo chicago, the union league of chicago, and the chicago urban league. >> good evening i'm carol marine, the political editor of nbc chicago. broadcasting live from the nbc tower, during the next hour we'll explore the critical issues facing the city of chicago. tonight we hear from the two candidates for mayor. our forum is sponsored by nbc5

chicago's mayoral candidates, who are both african-american women, have spoken out against the decision. lori lightfoot, the front-runner in the race, tweeted -- "today's ruling is the latest disappointment in the jason van dyke sentencing, and a sad reminder of the work we must do to create a system that is free of institutional racism and truly holds police accountable for their misconduct, including criminal acts. we cannot build trust between police and the communities they serve if officers who commit crimes are not held to the same standards as other defendants." lightfoot and her opponent, cook county board president toni preckwinkle, both have vowed to reform chicago's police department.

chicago's mayor denounced the move as a whitewash ofjustice. now on bbc news, panorama.ar what happens in academies, the corruption that goes on behind those doors. we hear from two headteachers turned whistle—blowers. i can't stay here and watch what they're doing to my school. we uncover evidence of organised cheating in exams. she walked past, looked at my test and she stopped and she just pointed at it, went, "that's the answer" and told me the answer.

up next, how the chicago mayor and police superintendent fired back.lawrence) i'm chief meteorologist lawrence karnow, i'll have your full bay area forecast after the break. forecast after the break. yoooh, hello yellow! at ross and you find... yes! that's yes for less. spring forward with the latest brand-name styles at 20 to 60 percent off department store prices. at ross. yes for less. and you find the same style you knoyou saw there... ross ...here? that's yes for less. yes! say yes to those spring trends you love, at 20 to 60 percent off specialty store prices, every day. at ross. yes for less. (vicki) a big story tonight... actor jussie smollett is now clear of all charges - in the latest twist after he said he was attacked by two men who used racist and homophobic slurs in january. chicago police originally accused the actor from santa rosa-- of staging a hate crime and filing a false police report. but natasha chen reports on the dramatic change of course in this case. mayor rahm emanuel / -d- chicago: "this is without a doubt a whitewash of ju

the dismissal has put a rift between them and chicago's mayor, rahm emanuel. emanuel is considering suing smollett to recoup money spent in the investigation. laura podesta is here in new york to bring us up to speed. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, anne-marie. the biggest question mark with the story is why the charges were dropped. police say there was plenty of evidence to prosecute smollett. so it's leading people to speculate about what information the state's attorney's office doesn't want the public to know. a surprise decision in the case against jussie smollett. a chicago prosecutor dropped all charges against the "empire" actor. >> i've been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. i would not be my mother's son if i was capable of one drop of what i've been accused of. >> reporter: smollett, who is gay, claimed he was attacked in january by two men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs. but police say he paid the two men to stage the attack to help his career. yesterday, though, with little explanation as to why, 16 fel

to the anger of chicago's mayor and police chi, prosecutors say they are dropping the charges becausedon't see the tv star as a threat to public safety. a warning, this report has flashing images of the start. jussie smollett was a red carpet regular, a tv actor who is now at the center of a real-life drama with a surreal script. back in january, mr. smollett ictim of a was the racist and homophobic attack in chicago. when the police investiged, they found that the two men who supposedly attacked the actor claimed they had been paid by him to stage the incident as a to get publicd increase his tv salary. the star was indicted for filing a false report to the police. today came shock news that prosecutors decided to drop all the charges against jussie h smollett, citi volunteer work and his agreement to forfeit his $10,000 bond to the city. the actor claims he has been nothing but honest throughout. jussie: i have been truthful and consistent since day one. i would not be my mother's son if i was capable of one drop of what i he been accused of. laura: chigo's police chief, clearly stu

but chicago's mayor is sending smollett this letter and a bill for $130,000 for police overtime. >> given that he doesn't feel any sense of contrition and remorse, my recommenention is e writes the check, in the memo section he can put the word "i'm accountable for the hoax." >> repter: withsmollett's court records sealed, police insist they haveve ohelming evidence proving his guilt but are barred by court order from sharing it. smollett's legal team says hs no criminal. >> he at this point has been victimized much more by what's happened afterwards than what en haed that night. h reporter: today while smollett maintainsis innocence as police call him a fraud, the actor is back in l.a., this weekend up for an naacp image awd. miguel almaguer, nbc news. >>> tonight, thousands of airline passengers are stranded and scrambling to change their h plans aftepopular airline they were planning to fly suddenly shut down without warning. tom costello has details. >> reporter: at wow ticket counters, long lines this morning. but empty thisfternoon. every wow flight canceled. >> nobody received any

chicago's mayor wants the "empire" actor to pay some of the bill f overtime hours that were used in his tvestigation. and now presidemp is calling for the fbi to look into the case. here's nbc's miguel almaguer. >> reporter: after prosecutors dropped charges against jussie smollett, the is reviewing the case and the president is weighing in. >> i think that case is an absolute embarrassment to our country. >> reporter: kim foxx, cook county's top proshcutor, said recused herself after communicating with smollett's family who expressed concerns about the investigation while he was still considered a victim. >> this appears to have been a case of special treatme for celebrities. and any special treatment in the justic system fundamentally is not just. >> reporter: foxx says the deal to drop the 16 felonies for two ouys community service and $10,000 in c fees was fair. but chicago's mayor is sending smollett thister and a bill for $130,000 for pol overtime. >> given that he doesn't feel any sense of contrition and remorse, my recommendation is when he writes the check in the memoe section

. >> and here comes chicago mayor rahm emanuel and the police chief.from them now -- superintendent of police eddie johnson and rahm emanuel. let listen in. >> good afternoon. >> good afternoon sir. >> so listen, i'm sure we all know what occurred this morning. my personal opinion is that you all know where i stand on this. do i think justice was served? no. where do i think justice is? i think this city is still owed and apology. and digress. i've been on cop for 30 years. if someone accused me of doing anything th anything, i would want high day in court to clear my name. i've heard that they wanted their day in court with tv cameras so america could know the truth. know they chose to hide behind secrecy and broker a deal to circumvent the judicial system. my job as a police officer is to investigate an incident, gather evidence, gather the facts and brebts them to t present them to the state's attorney. that's what we did. i stand behind the detective's investigation. i'll let the mayor comment further. >> one, not only do i support the hard work of

how the chicago mayor and police superintendent responded.sports tease) just ahead in sports, mother nature puts an early end to the exhibtion slate for the giants and a's. we'll have the highlights from oracle..in the preseason finale even if no one in your home smokes, secondhand smoke can be closer than you think. secondhand smoke from a neighbor's apartment can enter your home through air vents, through light fixtures and even through cracks in the walls and the floors. secondhand smoke is toxic. especially to children. protect your family. visit tobaccofreeca.com. starting tonight with the latest on larry baer- the giants ceo and president learned his punishment from major league baseball... suspended without pay and banned from the team for half the season. commissioner rob manfred made the announcement this morning.. baer suspended through and including july 1st...after an investigation of this altercation, which was recorded and sent to tmz sports. baer...in an argument with his wife pam in which she's knocked to the ground, as he's t

nbc tower, decision 2019, the race for chicago mayor. brought to you by nbc5 and telemundo chicago, the union league of chicago, and the chicago urban league. >> good evening i'm carol marine, the political editor of nbc chicago. broadcasting live from the nbc tower, during the next hour we'll explore the critical issues facing the city of chicago. tonight we hear from the two candidates for mayor. our forum is sponsored by nbc5 and telemundo chicago, in partnership with the chicago urban league, and the union league club of chicago. here now, are the candidates. lori lightfoot, former federal prosecutor, past president of the chicago police board and former partner at the law firm of mayor brown. toni preckwinkle, cook county board president, and share of the cook county democratic party. one thing is certain, an african american woman for the first time in history will be our next mayor. we thank everyone who is watching at home and in our audience. our forum is a round-table conversation not a formal debate, no openings, no closings, t

while chicago's mayor fumed that his celebrity clearly played a part in the decision to drop chargesd sends a clear message that if you are in a position of influence and power, you will be treated one way. other people will be treated another way. there is no accountability in the system. as forjussie smollett‘s acting career after all this, the makers of his tv show, 20th century fox, say they were gratified to see the charges against him dismissed. laura trevelyan, bbc news, chicago. details are emerging of a mysterious attack on north korea's embassy in madrid last month, when intruders carrying fake weapons broke in and stole sensitive intelligence from computer hard drives. according to a document published by spain's high court, the group went to america, where they say they have handed their discoveries to the fbi. the organisation claiming responsibility declared three weeks ago what they are calling a north korean "government in exile". david campa nale reports. north korea's embassy in madrid. according to papers that spain's high court, ten people identifying themselves a

and chicago's mayor is calling it a whitewash of justice. but tonight smollett is portraying himself as innocent insisting he's been truthful since day one. the justice department will take weeks for a more extensive version of robert mueller's report to be made public. democrats are demanding to see it all by april 7bd as the president continues to claim he's been totally exonerated by mueller on the issue of obstruction of justice. i'll talk about that news with kamala harris. and mayor rahm emanuel is standing by live along with our correspondents and analysts. let's start with our chief white house correspondent. >> reporter: administration officials says the white house has seen stil not seen the mueller report. they are waiting to look at it just like everybody else is. but as we saw earlier today, he's continuing his victory lap. this time he was on capitol hill, but the president is taking his win and twisting it claiming the special counsel found he had not engaged in obstruction when that's not exactly the case. the trump administr

chicago's mayor calls this a whitewash. i would not be my mother's son if i was capable of one drop

. >> the chicago mayor and police chief are upset. they to not agree with the charges. i came up with my hop no, reputation and integrity. if somebody accused me of doing anything that would circumvent that, then i would want my day in court, period, to clear my name. >> he did this all in the name of self-promotion. and he used the laws of a handle crime legislation that all of us collectively over ears put on the books to stand up to be the values that embody what we believe in. this is a whitewash of justice. >> the superintendent that is smollet owes the city of chicago an apology. >>> knews about giants ceo larry bear. the commissioner of major league baseball announced that baer would be suspended without pay through july 1st. the suspension comes after he was caught on camera in public here in an altercation with his wife. during that altercation, his wife ended up on the ground. san francisco mayor london breed had been calling for the suspension. the giants said that they will manage day-to-day the operation of the club. in a statement, baer said that his behav

chicago mayor rahm emanuel says he wants to recoup costs the city spent on this investigation. not just the $10,000 that they kept that he put up for bonds. the city writing in the letter to the "empire" actor, this -- "in an attempt to resolve this matter without further legal action, the city requires a payment of $130,000 expended overtime hours in the investigation of this matter. please submit a money order or certified cashier's check within days." but smollett's legal team says chicago's mayor and police chief both jussie smollett jussie smollett an apology. matt finn reporting now, as he has all week, from chicago. matt? >> harris, jussie smollett's 16 felony counts for lying to police have been dropped, but now the actor may face new charges because of chicago's law department warns in a letter that if he does not pay that $130,000 within seven days it can prosecute him for filing a false report and the law department once he faces fines up to three times the amount of the $130,000. chicago's mayor, rahm emanuel, said that when small it cut the check to the city in the

while chicago's mayor fumed that his celebrity clearly played a part in the decision to drop chargesh ofjustice and sends a clear message that if you're in a position of influence and power, you will get treated one way, other people will be treated another way. there is no accountability in the system. as forjussie smollett‘s acting career after all this, the makers of his tv show, 20th century fox, say they were gratified to see the charges against him dismissed. laura trevelyan, bbc news, chicago. the european parliament has passed a controversial new law designed to protect copyright on the internet. its supporters say the legislation will guarantee fair payment for artists, musicians and writers whose work is shared on networks such as google or facebook. but opponents argue the law will stifle internet freedom. our media editor amol rajan has been investigating. recognise that tune? well, no wonder, this is probably the most watched video in human history with a mere 6 billion views on youtube. great marketing, but who picked up the bill? not youtube, that digital narnia contai

chicago's mayor is furious. we'll have all the details ahead. feel the clarity of non-drowsy claritin and relief from symptoms caused by over 200 indoor and outdoor allergens. like those from buddy. because stuffed animals are clearly no substitute for real ones. feel the clarity. and live claritin clear. need a change of scenery? kayak searches hundreds of travel sites - even our competitors - so you can be confident you're getting the right flight at the best price. kayak. search one and done. ♪ the kenya tea development agency is an organization that is owned by tea farmers. every week we sell this tea, we get paid in multiple accounts. we were looking for a bank to provide a safe and efficient technology platform to pay our farmers. citi was the only one that was able to ensure that this was done seamlessly. and today, at the touch of a button, all the farmers are able to get their money, pay school fees and improve their standard of living. with citi, we see a bright future for our farmers and their families. ♪ ♪ so, recently my son's band

chicago. connell: this headline, it hit everyone was like woe, cannot believe that. melissa: no, yeah, amazing. mayord, prosecutor recused themselves, one to watch. connell: thank you for joining us. we appreciate it. melissa: "bulls and bears" starts now. david: first key vote on green new deal, just wrapping up on the senate floor, we'll bring you the very latest on this vote tally. stay with us. but first potential 2020 candidate howard schultz scolding democrats over the mueller report finding, howard schultz saying americans, he is meeting on his tour are not asking about it, it time for democrats to let it go. >> to last 7 weeks, as i travel the country american people have not asked me about that investigation. and i think to see the president of united states now spiking the ball, and celebrating the fact that their was no collusion, and no democrats unwilling to let it

chicago mayor rahm emanuel is talking on gma this morning. >> states attorneys office saying he's not exonerated. he actually did kpit this hoax. he's saying his -- this is making fools of all of us. >> prosecutors still don't believe his story but decided to drop charges to focus on violent crime. >>> new this morning, closing the gender pay gap. equal payday is next tuesday. new research shows some of the top stris with the biggest discrepancies in pay. the mill valley-based job site glass door reviewed it fou oere, men earnedorwomen.g 2070 before i completelyinated. take a look. here are the top five industries with the biggest gender pay gaps. they include media, retail, construction repair and maintenance. oil, gas, energy and utilities followed by the insurance industry. 2070 is a long way to go still. >> it sure is. >>> new at 6:00, a terrifying close call for a woman in london when someone tries to push her in front of a moving bus. >>> a living art installation in ploom in the norbloom in the no. that woman is spray painting flowers. >> they are beautiful. hopefully they dry

george. >> okay, alex, thanks very much. >>> let's bring in the mayor of chicago, rahm emanuel. thank you for joining us this morning. >> good morning, george. >> pretty clear yesterday how angry you are over this. you called it a whitewash of justice. top to bottom not on the level, those are your words. should the prosecutors be investigated and should this decision be investigated? >> well, that's for others -- look, here's what i do know. you have the state's attorney's office saying he's not exonerated, he actually did commit this hoax. he's saying he's innocent and his words aren't true. they better get their story straight. because this is actually making a fool of all of us. you know, all over the city of chicago, george, there are signs on front yards and windows that says hate has no home here. he turned those values upside down and inside out. >> a lot of people are wondering -- >> he abused the city of chicago, and he actually committed a crime here and lied about something and, remember, the grand jury indicted him when only seeing a portion of the evidence and he s

as you mentioned, we are waiting for him reaction from rahm emanuel, chicago mayor. and chicago please. there's a lot of buzz in anticipation of a response from chicago police. they had a weeks-long investigation that they called meticulous. dozens of detectives on this investigation, and they were under immense public pressure. not only here in the city but globally, really, as all eyes were on this case for many week weeks. there were so many theories floating around. finally, andy johnson got in front of cameras weeks ago and they laid out what they consider considers an airtight investigation. they said they traced the osundairo brothers. and that jussie smollett paid them to carry out this attack. they had so many details to support that theory. suddenly all the sudden the prosecutors say they no longer want to prosecute jussie smollett. the judge on that. something to point out is that the cook county state attorney kim fox recused herself from this investigation. there was a major headline in this case. that she suddenly said she could not fairly prosecute them

i'll talk to chicago's mayor rahm emanuel, he's standing by live and calling it a whitewash.lso discuss the breaking news with senator and democratic presidential candidate kamala harris. she's here live in the situation room. hi. maria ramirez! mom! maria! maria ramirez... mcdonald's is committing 150 million dollars in tuition assistance, education, and career advising programs... prof: maria ramirez mom and dad: maria ramirez!!! to help more employees achieve their dreams. new tattoo studio gel pencil. mom and dad: maria ramirez!!! from maybelline new york. smudge resistant. sweat resistant. waterproof. up to 36-hour wear. new tattoo studio gel pencil. only from maybelline new york. they're america's bpursuing life-changing cures. in a country that fosters innovation here, they find breakthroughs... like a way to fight cancer by arming a patient's own t-cells... because it's not just about the next breakthrough... it's all the ones after that. the company who invented car vending machines and buying a car 100% online. now we've created a brand new way for you to sell your

chicago, he s d sasai said -- he said he was attacked by maga country. did you ever hear that one? maybe the only time i've ever agreed with the mayor of chicago, ever. that's a terrible situation. that's an embarrassment not only to chicago. that is an embarrassment to our country, what took place there. remember that. but they're looking at it. >> transparency in chicago. investigate, release the records. but when it comes to the mueller report, oh, no, no, summary's good. by the way, i'm pretty sure that rahm emanuel wouldn't say that he agrees with the president. but the city of chicago wants more than $130,000 from jussie smollett to cover the cost of the investigation into his claim that he was attacked in a hate crime. here's rahm emanuel, the mayor. >> when he does pay the city back, i'm just purely -- what the taxpayers have fronted. in that memo section he can write, "i'm sorry and i'm accountable for what i've done." >> tonight you should know, you should stick around, remember the witnesses and the people and that surveillance tape, they were trying to figure out who they are were and they caught up with them and they turned out to be bro

chicago mayor rahm emanuel finally found his balance, his footing. took days for the mayor the inept and correct radical mayor to blame none other than president trump for the jussie smollett scandal. we would expect nothing more from this mayor, the most corrupt city in the most corrupt county in the entire nation. we take it up with sydney aviello 20 advisory board member jenna alice the "washington times" charlie hurt and pastor robert jeffers is with us as well. our top story president trump has had enough of the invasion of illegal immigrants crossing our southern border. the president said it's time for the government of mexico to act responsibly to stop encouraging and helping illegal immigrants reach our border and then cross it. >> it's a horrible situation in mexico could stop it. we are going give them hundreds of millions of dollars and tell them that they are going to use their strong immigration laws to help the united states. there's a good likelihood i will be closing the border next week and i will be just fine with me. >> the presid

chicago mayor ram emanual blasted their decision.nd listen how angry he was. >> this was a white wash of justice. a grand sure could not have been clearer. this is white house a doubt a whitewash of justice. and sends a clear message that if you're in a position of influence and power you'll get treated one way. other people will be treated another way. there is no accountability within the system. it is wrong full stop. >> do i think justice was served? no. what do i think justice is? i think this city is still owed an apology. it's mr. smollett who committed this hoax, period. if he wanted to clear his name, the way to do that was in a court of law so that everyone could see the evidence. >> cook county state's attorney's office didn't immediately explain why the 16 counts of fell neill disorderly conduct were dropped. accept to say the decision came after viewing the case facts and the view of smollett's willingness to forfeit his $10,000 bond after a brief experience in a courtroom, smollett told supporters he was bravely to thos

chicago's mayor is furious. details ahead. so, you're open all day, that's what 24/7 means, sugar. kind of like how you get 24/7 access to licensed agents with geico. hmm? yeah, you just go online, or give them a call anytime. you don't say. yep. now what will it take to get 24/7 access to that lemon meringue pie? pie! pie's coming! that's what it takes, baby. geico®. great service from licensed agents, 24/7. >>> he smoke today at a luncheon with republicans but the contents have gotten out. she joins us by phone. >> what was the president's mood like up on capitol hill today? he felt vindicated and made that clear. described the last two years with a curse word to describe what he had been through and then picked through a litany of pet peeves or concerns or legislative issues. he wanted the party to focus on health care. he thinks that's incredibly important. he was critical and had charts on the amount of money that the government has spent toward puerto rico after hurricane maria and that i think caused a lot of attention afterwards but look, this is feeling valedictory for him

how the chicago mayor and police superintendent responded. and up next...e healthcare debate has been reignited ... after a major reversal from the trump administration. details on the push to eliminate obamacare... the trump administration just announced a major reversal on obamacare... the d-o-j -- asking a federal judge to affirm a lower court's ruling.... and throw out the entire 'affordable care act' ... and that is without a republican plan to replace it.(ken) its a political gift for democrats. health care was the top issue in 20-18 for voters... ...and as sunlen serfaty reports - it could now define the 2020 race. democrats on capitol hill are seizing...pelosi: "this is actually an opportunity for us to speak to the american people with clarity. they say one thing and they do another." .capitalizing on the trump administration's decision to call for the elimination of the entire affordable care act - known as obamacare ...as the perfect pivot point to refocus back on healthcare --- one of their marquee bread and butter issues.pelosi: "protecting and

what smollett insisted afterward, and the move to drop charges blindsided chicago's mayor and top cop. here's alex perez. >> reporter: tonight, prosecutors in chicago making that surprise deal with jussie smollett to drop charges, blindsiding and angering the city's mayor and top cop. >> i have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. i would not be my mother's son if i was capable of one drop of what i've been accused of. >> reporter: but officials quickly blasting prosecutors' decision to make a deal with smollett. >> you all know where i stand on this. do i think justice was served? no. >> this is a whitewash of justice. at the end of the day, it's mr. smollett that committed this false claim. >> reporter: under the deal smollett did community service and will forfeit his $10,000 bond in exchange for no charges. but even prosecutors today said he lied to police. >> you believe he lied on the police report? >> yes. this was not an exoneration. to say he was exonerated by us or anyone else is not true. >> reporter: chicago police officials say they had no ide

ástunningá decision to essentially let him off the hook -- drawing áimmediateá backlash from chicago's mayorent.mayor rahm emanuel/(d) chicago:"this is a whitewash of justice. a grand jury could not have been clearer."eddie johnson/chicago police superintendent:"do i think justice was served? no. what do i think justice is? i think this city is still owed an apology."prosecutors have not given a detailed explanation for why they abandoned the case --saying in a statement that the decision was made after "reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case" --joseph magats/cook county, first assistant state's attorney:"we dropped all charges based on the fact that he's done community service and that he forfeited his bail."lead prosecutor joseph magats later said that smollett had no previous criminal record .... joseph magats/cook county, first assistant state's attorney:"our priority is violent crime and the drivers of violence. jussie smollett is neither one of those."but magats -- also stressing that dropping the charges did not exonerate the actor.reporter: "do you think mr. smollet

chicago mayor rahm emanuel is on gma this morning. >> state's attorney office saying he's not exonerated. he did commit this hoax. he's saying his innocent and the boards are true. they better get the stories straight. it's making fools of all of us. >> as the mayor just alluded to, prosecutors say they still don't believe his story. but decided to drop the charges to, instead, focus on violent crime. >>> new this morning, closing the gender pay gap. equal payday is next tuesday. now new research shows some of the top industries with the biggest discrepancies in pay. the mill valley-based job site glass door reviewed more than 425,000 salaries for its study. it found on average men earn about 21% more than women. this represents a 2.7 percentage point shrinkage in the pay gap years ago. it will be 2070 before it's completely eliminated. that's a long way to go. take a look at the top five industries with the biggest pay gaps. they include media, retail, construction, repair and maintenance, oil, gas energy and utilities and insurance. >>> an estimated $750 million is on the line in tonig

chicago's mayor rahm emanuel blasted the prosecutor's decision. >> this is a whitewash of justice.t have been clearer, you cannot have of a person's decision, one set of rules apply to them and another set of rules apply to everybody else. charles: joining me attorney emily campaign yo. you have to be as shocked as anyone else when the news came across the tape? >> shocked. i think what was especially surprising to me, frankly that news presser right after, where both the superintendent of the chicago police department and the mayor blasting this so clearly. usually if there is some type of defect in the prosecutorial system, some type of evidentiary or procedural mistake or overlook that they think would detriment or weaken the case in course there is behind the scenes conference between the law enforcement and the prosecutorial decision. so fact they were blindsided too, feel this strongly, said that all publicly is most surprising to me and should be all of you as well. charles: essentially from what i understand, the 10,000-dollar bond he paid, he doesn't get it back as some fo

chicago mayor rahm emmanuel expressing his outrage today... now that actor jussie smollett is now clear of all charges. it is the latest twist after he said he was attacked by two men who used racist and homophobic slurs in january. chicago police accused him of staging a hate crime and filing a false police report. our grant lodes joins us now in studio ... with the dramatic change of course in this case. (grant) today... illinois prosecutors dropped all charges against jussie smollett - and sealed the record in the case that has twisted and turned public opinion since january. smollett was charged with disorderly conduct, accused of staging a phony attack... after claiming he was the victim of a hate crime. smollett was in court for an emergency hearing today. and it's still unclear áwhy the charges were dropped. but the chicago police superintendentchicago police but the chicago police superintendent is standing behind police findings -eddie johnson /chicago police superintendent: "i've heard that they wanted their day in court with tv came

it sparked a heated response by the mayor of chicago who maintained the bay area native lied about a hate crime attack. laura podesta has more the closed case. >> reporter: a surprise decision in the case against jussie smollett. a chicago prosecutor dropped all charges against the empire actor. >> i have been truthful and consistent on every single level since day one. i will not be my mother's son if i was capable of one drop of what i have been accused of. >> reporter: jussie smollett, who is gay, said he was attacked but police say he paid two men to stage the attack. 16 felony counts were dropped in exchange for 16 hours of community service and forfeiting $10,000 bail. >> our priority is violent crimes and the drivers of violence. jussie smollett is neither one of those. >> reporter: chicago mayor rahm emanuel was livid after learning of the division -- decision. >> it was a hoax on people of good values who used that empathy against them. >> reporter: the superintendent eddie johnson says the city is owed an apology. >> i heard he wanted his day with tv cameras. people can kno

the chicago mayor said he wants to jussie to to receive a bill. it comes out to $130,000. smollett's team fired back. quote, it is the mayor and the police chief who owe jussie an apology for dragging an innocent man's character through the mud. can jussie's image ever ro ever? >> is it a hopeful sign for america that regardless of the your race or sexual orientation they all get off equally? >> despite taraji p. henson and ava duvernay, jussie has a hard road ahead. >> he's a liability. >> the "empire" star is nominated for a war ward at saturday's naacp image awards. we are toll jussie is still deciding whether to attend. nick si says he should be laying low. >> at the awards ceremony is not the time to be discussing court proceedings. this is not over yet. >> if he decides to come, it will be -- >> spectacle. >> thank you. you write a check for $130,000 chicago wants? >>> you know who's doing a lot of talking, not just kevin frazier? rosie o'donnell just escalated her she said-she said with elisabeth hasselbeck. >> she accused me of sexually harassing her by having a cr

the move blasted by chicago police and the mayor, who say they were blindsided. >> this is a person who has been let off scot-free with no sense of accountability of the moral and ethical wrong of his actions. >> smollett standing by his story. but prosecutors say they're not exonerating him from orchestrating a fake attack on himself. so why did they drop the charges? >>> also breaking, an emergency landing tonight involving a boeing 737 max. the trouble from one of the grounded planes as it was being moved. >>> an unprecedented move in the measles outbreak. one hard-hit county not only declaring an emergency, but also banning unvaccinated kids from going to public places. >>> an alarming nbc news investigation into a place where at-risk students are sent to get help. but former students tell us instead they were abused and attacked. >> did you feel like he had the power over you? >> yeah. >> tonight, what happened days after we started asking questions. >>> and if you're sick and tired of robocalls flooding your cell phone, we've got details on a brand-new way to combat them. >> this

>> i think the state's attorneys office and the chicago police and mayor's office have a shared tew.ir frustration about how this was handled, i hear it and i respect it, and i say to them what i've said to others, this case was treated no differently. >> reporter: another controversy is that the case files have been sealed. fox says that wasn't part of the deal to drop charges. lawyers for the media, including cbs news, have filed motions to keep those documents from getting destroyed and to make them public. jeff? >> glor: more good questions from adriana tonight as the questions don't go away. adriana diaz, thanks very much. the secretary of education was on capitol hill today defending her proposed budget cuts. that includes $18 million cut from special olympics. betsy devos called it a "awesome organization" but said it doesn't need government funds. here's chip reid. >> reporter: for 50 years the special olympics has helped countless americans with disabilities feel special. >> special olympics means the world to me. >> reporter: dustin plunkett has played half a dozen differen

chicago's top cop insists this was a hoax. the mayor calls smollett a liar.ere is chicago mayor rahm emanuel today saying justice has not been served. >> he is either a person that pulled a hoax around the hate crime for his racial background and sexual orientation. or he is totally a victim and innocent. but you both can't be right. and the city of chicago deserves an answer and they deserve an answer about accountability and responsibility in the system. >> jussie smollett's attorney immediately fired back at rahm emanuel just moments ago releasing this statement, quote: it is the mayor and the police chief who owes jussie, owes him an apology for dragging an innocent man's character through the mud. jussie has paid enough. also, this afternoon, kim foxx's spokesperson tells th"the chicago tribune" that kim falcon foxx northwesterly formerly recused herself from this investigation. she never had any actual conflict of interest. as a result she did not have to seek the appointment of a special prosecutor under state law. kim falcons says her office could hav

you heard the chicago mayor, rahm emanuel. he called the dismisses of charges against jussie smollett a whitewash of justice. that's his words. i'll ask jussie's attorney what she thinks of that, next. proteid with less of the sugar you don't. (straining) i'll take that. (cheers) 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. ensure max protein. in two great flavors. so, recently my son's band was signed by a record label. while we're on the road, i can keep my parents in the loop with the whole facetime thing. i created a rockstar. (both laughing) (announcer) the best network is even better when you share it. buy the latest iphone and get iphone 10r on us. so, you're open all day, that's what 24/7 means, sugar. kind of like how you get 24/7 access to licensed agents with geico. hmm? yeah, you just go online, or give them a call anytime. you don't say. yep. now what will it take to get 24/7 access to that lemon meringue pie? pie! pie's coming! that's what it takes, baby. geico®. great service from licensed agents, 24/7. i got it! wh

>> chicago mayor rahm emmanuel was outraged. >> it was wrong. >> he condemned prosecutors. >> did thisn the name of self-promotion. this is a white wash of justice. >> charlie de mar from our affiliate in chicago was at the courthouse. >> jussie smollett a free man.te decision just and appropriate. smollett was arrested and charged with staging his own racist attack in chicago. >> what's next? >> so how will today's legal victory affect jussie's role on "empire"? >> which lyon will end up sex feet under? >> the promo for tomorrow night's episode hints that smollett's character could be killed off, but that's unlikely. producers have been handling the controversy with a wait and see approach. today fox said it was gratified that charges were dropped and the writers for "empire" didn't miss a beat. >> i would like nothing more than to just get back to work and move on with my life. >> it will be interesting to see if jussie smhows up at the awards. >>> next nischelle turn talking about elisabeth hasselbeck on "the view." >>> elisabeth hasselbeck picked a heck of a time to return to "the

. >> on wgn radio chicago mayor rahm emanuel stopped short of saying whether he would actually sue jussiewe obtained a copy of the bill sent to smollett claiming, quote, you orchestrated your own attack. the letter says jussie has seven days to pay or authorities may prosecute smollett for making a false statement to the city. the question "reasonable and kelly justifiable amount" is about 30 grand more than what jussie reportedly recently made per episode on "empire." smollett's legal team tells "e.t.," quote, jussie has paid enough. >> i would like nothing more than to just get back to work. >> but could all the fall out leave jussie without a job? >> we moving on it or not? >> this week's ratings were the lowest in "empire" history. we asked the studio who wouldn't comment. the feds continue to investigate jussie's family. cue sean hayes at last night's glaad awards. >> i've been getting in shape for tonight with the jussie smollett. you hire two trainers and sweat for eight weeks. it wipes out all your belly fat and credibility. >>> another big moment from the awards, beyonce drops pr

you heard the chicago mayor, rahm emanuel. he called the dismissal of charges against jussie smollett a whitewash of justice. that's his words. i'll ask jussie's attorney what she thinks of that, next. after months of wearing only a tiger costume, we're finally going on the trip i've been promising. because with expedia, i saved when i added a hotel to our flight. ♪ so even when she outgrows her costume, we'll never outgrow the memory of our adventure together. unlock savings when you add select hotels to your existing trip. only when you book with expedia. even in my own home, i had my own designated space to smoke. if i think about it, it really was like i was punishing myself. a friend of mine that said, why wouldn't you just try the juul. and so i went out and i bought one. the idea of going back to smoking... i couldn't even imagine doing that. i don't think anyone including myself thought that i could switch. so, you're open all day, that's what 24/7 means, sugar. kind of like how you get 24/7 access to licensed agents w

mayor. the restf the lawmaker system of chicago. this looks like something went sideways. we don't know why. did thenderlying evidenc go sideways or is this special treatment for a celebrity. >> that's what'so weird, first of all, the fact that theay blin y the decision to drop all charges.el as you wl know, sometimes plea deals areso reached. times somebody doesn't plead to all 16 counts, they plead the one and there's some kind of arrangement. here is the situation where there's no deal like that.s prosecutismiss all charges but then say their case was solid and they on't believe he was innocent. itakes no sense. >> somebody is covering for something. as you say, savannah, in a traditional deal where you say andthing is non-violent someone will take responsibility and you have toelt agreement, that can ppen. is isn't that because jussie smollett's lawyers are claiming total vindication which is at odds with the arrangement that was apparently just reached. >> the prosecutor willsay, and it's true, you can do sometimes a pretrial defensive version program and not be charg