On Fox & Friends Tuesday, [former Chicago police officer Dimitri] Roberts took issue with that statement, quipping that the only thing Smollett has been consistent about throughout this process is lying.

He suggested that the investigation should have been turned over to the FBI, because an alleged hate crime was involved and because Smollett has been "proven to lie over and over again."

He added that he disagrees with many things Mayor Emanuel says, but he believes the phrase "whitewash of justice" is appropriate.

The FBI is reportedly reviewing the surprise dismissal of 16 felony charges against 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett stemming from the hate-crime hoax he staged in January, after his near-exoneration outraged local authorities.

The agency opened an inquiry into "circumstances surrounding dismissal of criminal charges" against Smollett after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city's police department demanded answers regarding the slap on the wrist the fraudster received for perpetrating the elaborate hoax, according to ABC Chicago, which specified that the FBI was doing a "review" or "inquiry" rather than a full-scale "investigation."

State's Attorney Kim Foxx, facing a massive public backlash for allowing Smollett to skate on 16 felonies, claimed her office didn't ask for his file to be sealed, but couldn't explain how it had happened, stating it must have been done "inadvertently" and was "probably" in the process of being unsealed. Chicago PD delivered a trove of documentation on the case to reporters in response to an FOIA request before the record was sealed, though an additional gag order has reportedly kept an "eight-inch thick" investigative file back from that document dump.

Magats' predecessor Eric Sussman, however, joined Emanuel in condemning the decision as a "whitewash," adding, "It makes you think there's some evidence or something that they don't want out."

Rachel Maddow's audience plummeted 19 percent since the Justice Department announced the special counsel investigation turned up no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The MSNBC host drew an audience of 2.5 million viewers on Monday, the day after Attorney General William Barr's announcement - down 19 percent from her average this year.

On Tuesday, her audience dwindled further to 2.3 million, the Nielsen company said.

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HRC has called out Bhamji for his statements, saying it's important to "give nothing to racism".

"Prejudice against Jewish people has no place in New Zealand," it tweeted. "We must condemn racism, hate and anti-Semitism whenever we see it."

They're not the only ones disappointed; many Muslims say these views have no place at a time when New Zealand's Jewish and Islamic communities have been coming together to support each other.

Lawyer and White Ribbon ambassador Umar Abdul Kuddus said Bhamji's speech was "absolutely absurd and unacceptable".

"I am horrified and offended that the chairman made these ridiculous and hurtful comments towards the Jewish community," he wrote on Facebook.

"I was on the ground in Christchurch and I saw Rabbis and Jewish community leaders coming to support and pray with us for the victims and their families.

"I feel embarrassed that this individual is seen as a representative of my community when in fact he represents no one person of the Muslim community but for his own unacceptable views."

Kuddus' powerful message has won applause from the community, who say Bhamji doesn't represent them.

"The Jewish community has been so forthcoming with its support. Hate speeches like that has no place here regardless of one's position," one person said.

"What a waste of an opportunity to spread the message of peace, love, support and true reflection of our Muslim community," another commented.