Flashback: Kamala Harris Called Smollett Alleged Hate Crime Hoax an ‘Attempted Modern Day Lynching’

After Jussie Smollett accused attackers in January 2019 of shouting racial slurs and saying, “This is MAGA country,” while assaulting him, newly picked Joe Biden running mate Kamala Harris leapt to his defense in a tweet that is still active on her account.

She called Smollett “one of the kindest, most gentle human beings” she knows and of the supposed attack, now all but proven in court to be a hate crime hoax, that it was an “attempted modern day lynching.”

.@JussieSmollett is one of the kindest, most gentle human beings I know. I’m praying for his quick recovery.

This was an attempted modern day lynching. No one should have to fear for their life because of their sexuality or color of their skin. We must confront this hate.

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) January 29, 2019

One month later, it was reported that she “gave an awkward response” when asked about the tweet and his claims. “Which tweet, what tweet?” was her response. At that point, local media reports were swirling that the attack was staged.

Two days later, she met with Al Sharpton who said, “Whoever is wrong should pay the maximum. If Smollett is wrong, he ought to face accountability to the maximum,” as Chicago police finally confirmed the reports and they believed it was staged. Harris did not make any additional statement, according to the report.

When it was announced the next month that the charges that had been filed against him in regards to the alleged false claims, she said, “To be perfectly honest … I’m completely confused. I don’t understand. I don’t know. I don’t know the underlying evidence … I don’t know. I’m at a loss.”

Smollett was indicted again in February of this year and a special prosecutor was appointed. He recently was seen at a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Trump Tower.