Posted on 06/06/2006 5:20:34 PM PDT by GeorgiaDawg32
Edited on 06/06/2006 7:09:08 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors investigating the confrontation between Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia and a Capitol police officer have been talking privately with McKinney's office in hopes of resolving the case without the spectacle of an indictment and trial, officials familiar with the talks say.
Prosecutors for several weeks have been carrying on confidential discussions with the DeKalb County Democrat in what they characterized as an effort to reach a plea agreement, even as they were presenting evidence in the March 29 incident to a grand jury, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The grand jury has not yet decided whether McKinney should be charged, an official familiar with the proceedings said, and no decision is expected this week. The prosecutors have subpoenaed at least six witnesses to appear before the jury over the last two months.
McKinney's office rejected claims that there have been discussions of a plea agreement, saying the congresswoman has not been charged with anything and may never be, so there's no plea to negotiate.
"At this time, I have no comment as I am unaware of any 'legal case' regarding Ms. McKinney and [the] March 29 incident," William Moffitt, one of McKinney's lawyers, said in an e-mailed statement.
A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Ken Wainstein's office and a Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on the talks or even confirm they were occurring.
Negotiated settlements in cases as controversial and politically sensitive as McKinney's are common, according to former federal prosecutors and lawyers with experience in Washington's Superior Court. They said there is often pressure on the prosecutors from higher-ups at the Justice Department and possibly the White House to resolve such cases quickly and quietly.
The Justice Department declined to comment on McKinney's case. A White House spokesman said he had no information on whether McKinney's case had been discussed in the West Wing.
Capitol Hill police said they were dismayed that the investigation into McKinney's confrontation with the police officer is taking so long to resolve. They said failure to charge McKinney would send the message that it is all right to hit a police officer.
The incident occurred as McKinney was entering a House office building and started to skirt a security checkpoint, as members of Congress and their aides are allowed to do. When a police officer who did not recognize McKinney tried to stop her McKinney, struck him in the chest with her fist, according to the police report.
McKinney was not wearing a special lapel pin that would have identified her as a congresswoman, but House members are not required to wear the pins. She also had changed her hairstyle since posing for her official House photo, which guards can consult to confirm her identity.
McKinney and her lawyers said she was acting in self-defense after the officer touched her inappropriately. After the incident, McKinney held a news conference in which she said she was the victim of racial profiling by Capitol police, stopped only because she was a "female, black congresswoman."
Under pressure from fellow Democrats and black lawmakers, McKinney eventually apologized for the incident on the House floor.
—Scott MacFarlane of Cox Broadcasting contributed to this article.
Let me guess...30 days of rehab at the Mayo Clinic after which the 'honorable lady" from Georgia will demand that,next time,she should be treated like a Kennedy.
This is a total blackwash.
LET'S MAKE A DEAL!
If anyone on that hill had some stones, they'd leak that video now.
As for the prosecutors, I say a civil rights crime may have been committed, per a congresswoman's own statement to the media. Lets try it. Lets get it out in the open, make her take the stand. Make her prove it!
Nah, lets just let it linger until no one really cares. That will show those protecting congress just how much congress really thinks of them.
To the Capital Police, Thank You for protecting our house.
I know its a thankless job, but we in the heartland appreciate it.
"I expect to be finger printed and have to do a mug shot - treat me like a stanky white cracker born in North Dakota."
what a surprise
She could have easily avoided the spectacle of felony assault. She MUST do hard time. Period. No special treatment. Forget she's a Congresswoman and she does time.
>>>>>>the spectacle of an indictment and trial<<<<<<<<<<<<<
funny, it only becomes a problem when it's a white conservative, otherwise they just LOVE the spectacle.
You placed quotation marks around these words....please tell me that the "honorable" lady from Georgia didn't actually say this!
And if she did,please tell me that she didn't say it on the floor of the House,as your picture suggests!
Thats about the same deal Sandy Burglar got.
sickening
lol!
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