Posted on 03/30/2006 4:16:14 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON — Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia struck a Capitol Hill police officer Wednesday morning after the officer, not recognizing her as a member of Congress, tried to stop her from stepping around a security checkpoint, police confirmed.
The incident "has been brought to our attention and it is being investigated," said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, a spokeswoman for Capitol Hill police.
Congressional and police authorities, who spoke on condition that they not be named, said the investigation into the incident would stretch into today and that no arrest warrant would be issued for the DeKalb County Democrat — if, indeed, one is — until it is completed.
McKinney issued a statement Wednesday night saying she regretted the confontation.
"I know that Capitol Hill Police are securing our safety, and I appreciate the work that they do. I have demonstrated my support for them in the past, and I continue to support them now," she said.
A deputy police chief and a representative of the House's sergeant-at-arms visited McKinney's congressional office Wednesday afternoon. Neither commented to reporters.
The officer involved was not identified, but police officials said he was ready to press charges against McKinney — a rare, if not unprecedented, action by a Capitol police officer against a member of Congress.
Police and congressional officials said they were not aware of any other incidents in which a member of Congress struck a Capitol Hill police officer or an officer pressed charges against a member, though conflicts between members and police at security checkpoints are not rare.
The incident occurred when McKinney was entering a House office building on Capitol Hill. She started walking around a metal detector and X-ray machine at one of the building's entrances, as members of Congress are allowed to do, when the officer tried to stop her, congressional and police officials said.
The officer either tapped McKinney on the shoulder or grabbed her arm, they said. McKinney spun around and struck the officer, though there are conflicting reports about whether she slapped him, punched him in the chest or hit him with a cellphone she had in her hand, they said.
Congressional staffers who have worked with McKinney said several factors may have contributed to the officer's failure to recognize McKinney as a member of Congress.
McKinney usually does not wear the special lapel pin given to members of Congress to make them easier to identify, and she apparently was not wearing it Wednesday morning, congressional and police officials said. Kerri Hanley, of the House sergeant-at-arms' office, said members are not required to wear the pin, though most do.
Police also keep books with pictures of each member at security checkpoints in the Capitol and in House and Senate office buildings to help them recognize lawmakers. However, even if the officer had consulted the book, he may not have recognized McKinney, who has altered her hairstyle since her official House photo was taken, congressional aides noted.
This is not the first time McKinney has had an encounter with Capitol Hill police. When she first arrived in Congress in 1993, an officer failed to recognize her because she was new and not wearing the congressional pin. After she complained, police put pictures of McKinney up at each security checkpoint to ensure it would not happen again.
McKinney also once ran into problems at the White House. USA Today reported that when McKinney, who is African-American, and a young white aide arrived at a welcoming ceremony in May 1998 for then-Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, the guard at the gate deferred to the aide as the person of authority. Once in the executive mansion, McKinney said, another guard tried to stop her until Rep. James Moran (D-Va.) stepped in.
"I am absolutely sick and tired of having to have my appearance at the White House validated by white people," McKinney wrote in a complaint to then-President Bill Clinton. "I don't need to be stopped or questioned because I happen to look like hired help."
The White House apologized to McKinney.
Republicans were quick to comment on Wednesday's incident, circulating an e-mail noting that McKinney's confrontation with the Capitol Hill officer came on the same day that her party announced an election-year "affirmation" of its commitment to shoring up the nation's security.
"On the day when Democrats held a media stunt to unveil their security agenda, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) hit a Capitol police officer. Not exactly a show of support for law enforcement," wrote Sean Spicer, spokesman for the House Republican Conference.
Brian Robinson, an aide to Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Georgia, said he spotted McKinney on Wednesday evening as she entered the Longworth House Office Building. Robinson said she walked around the security checkpoint, then — though no one tried to stop her — walked back and showed the police officer her congressional ID. Robinson said she still wasn't wearing her congressional lapel pin.
The Associated Press contributed information from McKinney's statement
The poor racist hag was born without a brain, loyalty to the United States of America, or a sense of common decency. Give her a break you guys!
Too bad the guard didn't get to Taze her. I would have paid to see that...
One of my many duties is to oversee a security operation for an industrial facility of about 600 employees. When I first took over the job, the guard had no effective means to check IDs or stop traffic. He was just expected to wave in all the employees because he "knew everybody".
Well, after observing operations for about an hour, it because clear that he was just waving in everybody. When I asked why, he said that he did not have time to recognize each person, and by the time he tried to stop anybody, they were already past him. I could have replaced him with a mechanical dummy with a waving arm and gotten just as much security.
I spent a couple of bucks and bought a card reader system and lift arm for the front gate. Now it was possible for the guard to check ID on each vehicle prior to opening the gate. In other words, it made it possible for him to do his job.
Now came the hard part. Now I had to convince 600 employees that they now had to stop and have their IDs checked, after they had been blowing through the front gate for the past 10 years. It took a lot of yelling and screaming, and I had to replace the wooden gate about 20 times, but eventually I got compliance. I had to transfer my normal daytime security crew to another site for a month, but eventually everybody accepted the new system.
But every now and then I get some damn VIP who insists on having a special arrangement so they don't have to produce the ID badge. As soon as this happens, things start falling apart again, because the guard starts "recognizing" his regulars and punching the gate to speed things up. So I have to fight to good fight, and tell people ten steps above my pay grade that they have to follow the rules, just like the little people. I gotta tell you, that makes for some pretty uncomfortable conversations.
I can only imagine what the Capitol Police have to go through, with 535 Prima Donnas running around, and that's before you even get to the AHs who populate their staffs. My heart really goes out to those guys.
I you have one rule for everybody, you have a working system. If you have five different rules for five different classes of people, you got nuthin. But if anything every happened, and security broke down on Capitol Hill, you just know it would be the idiots like Cynthia McKinney bellowing the loudest about "How could this have happened!?!"
BTW, do you think it is a Federal crime for one of the Little People to wear a similar pin?
She IS hired help. Just as all lawmakers are. They are 'hired' by the people of the US when they are elected.
These elitists always seem to forget who works for whom.
"Earlier today I had an unfortunate confrontation with a Capitol Hill Police Officer. It is traditional protocol that Capitol Hill Police Officers secure 535 Members of Congress, including 100 Senators. It is the expectation of most Members of Congress that Capitol Hill Police officers know who they are. I was urgently trying to get to an important meeting on time to fulfill my obligations to my constituents. Unfortunately, the Police Officer did not recognize me as a Member of Congress and a confrontation ensued. I did not have on my Congressional pin but showed the Police Officer my Congressional ID.
"I know that Capitol Hill Police are securing our safety, that of thousands of others, and I appreciate the work that they do. I deeply regret that the incident occurred. I have demonstrated my support for them in the past and I continue to support them now."
http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2006/03/27/daily29.html
What is it she is saying about the hired help at the Clinton White House?
Ehhh - regret? I dunno, sounds like Cynthia is Stuck On Stupid to me...
Cynthia is scheduled to speak at a big PEACE rally in Atlanta on Saturday. Wonder if she'll show.
You could probably sell the Pay-Per-View rights to that for $10,000,000 in Georgia alone...
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/30/national/30brfs.html
LOL this is the NYSlime coverage. (Tape? What tape? That ain't news)
That's the headline on the main page that takes you to the article. I guess the AJC is trying to smooth things over for her.
Peace, huh? Sounds like she puts the 'fist' in pacifist to me...
wait a minute. isn't she a 'servant of the people'?!
Cynthia McKinney + peace ????
what a joke!
Showed her ID before, or after she slapped/punched him? So, it took less time to punch the guy than it would have to just wear the pin so he could easily identify her? That makes sense. I still don't see where she regrets hitting him.
check for moonbats in that head of hair!
"How she got re-elected by DeKalb County residents is beyond me."
Anyone know where the King County, Wa. voting machines are?
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