Harris on Smollett: 'I'm sad, frustrated, and disappointed'
By Chris Mills Rodrigo - 02/21/19 06:48 PM EST
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said Thursday that she is "sad, frustrated, and disappointed" over the allegation that "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett staged an attack he reported as a hate crime.
“Like most of you, I’ve seen the reports about Jussie Smollett, and I’m said, frustrated, and disappointed,†Harris, who is running for the president in 2020, said in a statement. “When anyone makes false claims to police, it not only diverts resources away from serious investigations but it makes it more difficult for other victims of crime to come forward.â€
“At the same time, we must speak the truth: hate crimes are on the rise in America," she continued. "Just last year, the FBI released statistics that revealed a 17 percent increase in the number of hate crimes in America. Part of the tragedy of this situation is that it distracts from that truth, and has been seized by some who would like to dismiss and downplay the very real problems we must address.â€
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/431066-harris-on-smollett-im-sad-frustrated-and-disappointed