Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx is a national laughingstock over her decision to let off Jussie Smollett from any punishment beyond a trivial fine and laughable "community service" at Jesse Jackson's office over a weekend.  I can't imagine how she thought this default on a huge national story would be accepted by the public, but I speculate that she may have been taken by surprise by Team Smollett's aggressive stance that he is the victim.

But there is some evidence that she is panicking:

Item One: The ever-popular "I'm receiving death threats" (so no more criticism of me, or blood will be on your hands).  The Chicago Sun-Times:

Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx has received a series of threats against her life and safety in the wake of her office's decision last  month to abruptly drop criminal charges against "Empire" star Jussie Smollett, according to a high-ranking staffer and a political ally.

Jennifer Ballard Croft, Foxx's chief of staff, confirmed Monday that Foxx's "physical safety" has been threatened in the wake of the Smollett case.

Item Two: Refusal to cooperate with the County Board investigation in the Smollett case.  Also via the Sun-Times:

State's Attorney Kim Foxx will not meet with the Cook County Board to discuss her office's handling of the Jussie Smollett case, according to a letter from Foxx obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

In her letter to the board, Foxx cites her recent decision to refrain from publicly commenting on the matter during the ongoing investigation by the county's Office of the Independent Inspector General.

So much for being a "public servant." Since when is an official inquiry a matter of "public comment"?

Item Three: A total cave-in on the demand from Chicago cops for a special prosecutor in the case of a Foxx campaign worker who is accused of assaulting cops — because he appeared with Foxx at her infamous April 6 news conference at Jesse Jackson's office.  The Chicago Tribune:

The case of a man accused of scuffling with Chicago cops will be handled by a special prosecutor after officers involved in the incident cited links between State's Attorney Kim Foxx and the defendant.

Eight Chicago police officers filed a petition last week asking for the special prosecutor in part because Foxx appeared at a news conference April 6 at Rainbow/PUSH headquarters and later posed for photos with Jedidiah Brown, who has been charged with battery against police officers.

On Tuesday, Foxx's office filed a recusal request with Circuit Judge Leroy K. Martin Jr. and Martin granted the recusal.  A hearing for the appointment of a special prosecutor was set for May 9.

She didn't even bother making a case that her office could be fair.  This is implicit acknowledgment that she could not answer the inevitable questions.

Item Four: Embarrassing high-profile examples of people denied the same treatment Smollett got are piling up.  This instance resonates deeply with Chicagoans because it involves the Cubs and the very high-profile bleachers erected on rooftops across the street from Wrigley Field, which are visible on TV coverage every time the Cubs play a home game.  From CWB Chicago:

It's been quite a ride for Robert Racky.  Armed only with a few lawn chairs, the now 77-year-old businessman literally invented the Wrigleyville rooftop business that lets Cubs fans watch home games from the rooftops of homes along Waveland and Sheffield Avenues.

Born eleven days after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Racky has a squeaky clean criminal record, too.  Well, he did until Monday.  That's when he finally decided to plead guilty after fighting a charge of felony disorderly conduct-false report for eight months.  A judge sentenced him to two days in jail that he had already served.

So — unlike TV star Jussie Smollett, who was charged with exactly the same felony as the rooftop king — Racky will be wrapping up his life with a criminal record in Chicago.

Racky called 911 around 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 10th last year, and told an operator that he had been carjacked, his wallet had been taken, and that he was lying on the ground in the 1000 block of West Byron, according to court records.  When officers arrived, Racky was lying on the hood of a 2005 Chevy Cobalt that had a Chicago Department of Revenue boot on the front driver's side tire, police said.  The car was registered to his company.

Racky immediately admitted that he had not been carjacked, explaining, "That's what I told [911] to get you guys over here."  Racky was immediately arrested.  When police impounded Racky's car, they allegedly found a rifle and a shotgun in the trunk.

On Monday, prosecutors dropped the weapons charges completely and reduced the false report charge to Class C disorderly conduct.  That's the lowest-level misdemeanor charge in the state. But, prosecutors insisted that Racky had to plead guilty.

There were some clear differences between Smollett's allegedly fake hate crime claim and Racky's case. Racky immediately admitted to police that his report was false. To this day, Smollett has not admitted that he made up the story about being attacked by two men who tied a noose around his neck, poured bleach on him, and shouted anti-gay, anti-black slurs while calling Streeterville "MAGA country."

Foxx is toast.  I hope she continues to spout BS and discredits herself and Jesse Jackson, Jussie Smollett, and the people who pull her strings — from Tony Preckwinkle to George Soros to Michelle Obama's top aide, Tina Tchen.

Image credit: YouTube screen grab (cropped).