Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., center, walking down the steps of the House side of the U.S. Capitol after the last scheduled vote of the day Thursday, March 30, 2006 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
Posted on 04/05/2006 4:46:35 PM PDT by Libloather
McKinney event called illegal
By BOB KEMPER, SCOTT MacFARLANE
Cox News Service
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., center, walking down the steps of the House side of the U.S. Capitol after the last scheduled vote of the day Thursday, March 30, 2006 on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)
WASHINGTON — When Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) spent money from her congressional office budget to fly singer Isaac Hayes to DeKalb County last year, it wasn't just to have the superstar attend the opening of her new district office or talk about music education for children of the 4th Congressional District.
Hayes also was the headliner at a political fundraiser for McKinney at the Stone Mountain home of state Sen. Gloria Butler, a violation of House ethics and campaign rules.
McKinney's office on Monday said it made a mistake when it paid for Hayes' trip — $500 for airfare and $400 for accommodations — from her $1 million congressional office budget, which is funded by federal tax dollars. Her aides vowed to pay back the money.
But McKinney's problems grew more serious Tuesday because using House funds to pay for purely political activity is specifically prohibited by House rules. Further, McKinney's failure to list Hayes' expenses on her campaign disclosure forms violated Federal Election Commission rules.
"It's actually breaking the law," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
"It's breaking House rules, which prevent a member from using travel funds for anything but their own travel," Sloan said. "And it breaks Federal Election Commission law, which requires that campaign funds be used for campaign expenses."
McKinney's spokesman, Coz Carson, said the misreporting had been an administrative mistake.
"This was not some sinister act to dupe the people out of a small amount of money," Carson said.
Butler, a Democrat from Stone Mountain, said the fundraiser with Hayes in March 2005 was the only event she hosted for McKinney. Butler said she couldn't recall how many people attended the event or how much money was raised, details she said were handled by McKinney's campaign.
Public records show McKinney did make a distinction between the event at her district office and the fundraiser held that evening when it came to catering.
She paid the caterer who did both events about $1,000 from her congressional office funds for one event and $800 from her campaign fund for the fundraiser.
McKinney featured Hayes in a full-color brochure she sent later to constituents. The singer also taped a radio campaign ad for McKinney.
Cynthia has obviously copied the "Buckwheat" look!
You better not get on her case, or she'll say you're racist.
Like minds I was just wondering if she was going to fly in the ghost of Buckwheat for her next campaign.
What is most scary is that people like mckinney will be voted into power by conservatives staying home.
The trifecta of Pelosi, Conyers, and Rangel is scary.
Dems have no term limits on their chairmen and rangel and conyers are going to impeach Bush and act like total kooks.
These are people that think Diebold steals elections. They are nuts.
But you will still see posts on here saying there is no difference between the two parties.
I wonder if in a red district the constituents who vote for a dem know they are voting for Pelosi to take san francisco nationwide.
Pelosi was made leader of the dems by the congressional black caucus.
No aspersions intended, of course.
Leni
Daaaamn right!
No problem there anyone with an opinion is already a racist, thats all it takes these days.
What seems more of a crime is the fact she has a ONE MILLION dollar congressional office Budget
Buckwheat was a good kid.
If conservatives stay home, the coming Donk seat increase in the House will turn into a two-House landslide.
Pelosi isn't stupid (enough) unfortunatly, and McKinney is not only a liberal leftist but also an ass.
If you noticed, Pelosi isn't defending her, and apparently the 2 aren't on speaking terms (personally, I think Pelosi wanted that started as a rumor, but its clear Pelosi would sell out McKinney).
The GOP should make McKinney the poster child for the democratic party the way the dems wanted Delay or Abramhof to be the poster kids for the GOP.
The Democrat Culture of Corruption has got to STOP!!!
"The Democrat Culture of Corruption..."
It's not just a culture, it's a full blown infestation!
Pelosi at first did defend her.
Pelosi's first reaction was that it was no big deal.
Then republicans brought the issue to the floor praising capitol police and hastert asked pelosi how many times would an officer have to be hit for it to be a big deal.
The biggest GOP problem is that they are not highlighting the fact that their opposition are a bunch of radical nuts.
I wonder if people in southern indiana know that by voting for democrats they will get radical commie john conyers as chairmen of the judiciary.
The dem leadership in the house is the most radical leadership in the history of congress.
Conyers, Pelosi, Rangel, Frank, Waxman, Slaughter replacing harman next year.
These people are moonbats.
McNinney will walk on this one. No inidictment. No trial. No problem. All she need play is the Race Card. She probably won't even pay back the stolen money and nobody will have the guts to press her for it.
But she will stay comfortably in Congress another 50 years, or until she dies of old age in office, which ever comes first!
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