Illinois Senator Proposes Withholding Tax Credits From Companies That Hire Jussie Smollett
March 28, 2019 - 6:07 pm by VIBE
All of the charges brought against Jussie Smollett in his Chicago hate crime case may have been dropped, but law enforcement and local government are still out to get the Empire actor, and now his situation could affect major companies. Illinois state Senator Michael McAuliffe suggested that tax credits should be withheld from any production company that employs Smollett.
"The General Assembly here in Illinois gives a very robust tax credit to any production company that plans on filming TV shows or movies,” McAuliffe told CNN on Thursday (Mar. 28). "Someone like…Smollett or someone else that would commit the same type of act should not benefit from this generous, robust tax credit that is offered from the city of Chicago residents and the taxpayers of the state of Illinois."
As previously noted, Smollett was accused of staging a racist and homophobic hate crime in Chicago in Jan. 2019. He was later indicted on 16 felony counts of "false report of offense." The charges were eventually dropped, and a judge agreed to seal his records.
Senator McAuliffe was not the only politician critical of the outcome surrounding the case. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel also blasted the ruling, insisting that Smollett "abused the City of Chicago."
"He actually committed a crime here and remember, the grand jury indicted him after only seeing a portion of the evidence," the mayor added.
IL state Rep. Michael McAuliffe says he's introducing legislation to kill tax credits to productions that hire Jussie Smollett: “I feel…someone like Jussie Smollett or someone else that would commit the same kind of act should not benefit from this generous, robust tax credit" pic.twitter.com/L5QgLvpTye
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) March 28, 2019
