All true, and she's not much fun to look at.
Posted on 04/01/2006 3:35:21 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON — Rep. Cynthia McKinney on Friday declared herself the victim of a racist Capitol Hill police officer who her supporters said used excessive force when he stopped her from skirting a security checkpoint earlier this week.
"The whole incident was instigated by the inappropriate touching and stopping of me — a female, black congresswoman," McKinney said at a news conference, abandoning the apologetic tone she struck earlier in the week.
Capitol police are considering filing assault charges against the DeKalb County Democrat next week. But her lawyers said she was acting in self-defense when she struck the officer who tried to stop her.
"Cynthia McKinney, like thousands of average Americans across this country, is ... a victim of the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials because of how she looks and the color of her skin," said one of McKinney's lawyers, James Myart Jr.
McKinney spoke on the campus of predominantly black Howard University, surrounded by more than a dozen African-American children from South Georgia's Coffee County who held signs reading "Is Cynthia a Target?" and "Recognize Our Congresswoman." The children had been in town to tour Washington and visit McKinney, said their escort, Hal Pressley, president of the Coffee County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Singer and activist Harry Belafonte and actor Danny Glover also appeared with McKinney. They said they had come not in judgment of the facts of the case, but, as Glover put it, "to support our sister."
McKinney's lawyers said the white officer involved in Monday's scuffle should be investigated.
Police declined to address the racial accusations.
"We're currently investigating the matter. That's as far as it goes with us right now," said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider, the police spokeswoman.
But police union officials from across the country denounced McKinney's tactics and said the officer involved — not McKinney — was the true victim.
"There was no excessive force here," said Lou Cannon, president of the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents Capitol officers. "If she's trying to turn this into a racial issue, people should ask, 'Why is she doing this?' This is an insult to all police officers."
The FOP's national board, meeting Friday in Nashville, unanimously approved a motion commending the Capitol Hill officer, who has not been identified, and condemning McKinney, who was stopped because the officer didn't recognize her. Bill Peacock, a former DeKalb County police officer and a delegate to the national FOP organization, introduced the motion.
"There were two avenues she could take, one being the high road — admitting her error — and the other is to use the race card simply because the officer was trying to do his job," said Peacock.
McKinney's press conference marked the first time she has spoken publicly about the incident, in which the officer, not recognizing McKinney as a member of Congress, tried to stop her from walking around a security checkpoint, which members are routinely allowed to do.
Several Capitol police officials have said the officer involved asked McKinney three times to stop. When she did not, he placed a hand on her and she hit him, they said.
McKinney, who previously had released a statement saying she "deeply regretted" the incident, avoided details Friday. She said lawyers had advised her not to because of the possibility of charges against her.
As she had previously, she acknowledged that when she was stopped, she wasn't wearing the special lapel pin given to the 435 House members to help police and staff recognize them. But she said the officer still should have recognized her because he was trained to do so.
"I do wear the pin when I remember to wear the pin," McKinney said. "But the pin is not the issue. The issue is facial recognition."
"She's a victim," said Pressley. "For Ms. McKinney not to be immediately recognized by the Capitol police was, in itself, an insult. She's recognizable from around the world, so in D.C., our capital, you would expect that almost any police officer would recognize her, with all the controversy attached to her name."
Pressley said a Capitol Hill police officer — "like someone who just came off a plantation" — once treated some black children he brought to Washington "like animals."
Michael Raffauf, one of McKinney's attorneys, suggested that powerful Republican lawmakers who run Congress may be behind the accusations and possible criminal charges against McKinney.
"I find it highly unusual that this thing has gotten so blown out of proportion," he said.
Police have said it was extraordinarily rare, and possibly unprecedented, for a member of Congress to strike a Capitol Hill police officer.
McKinney said members of the Congressional Black Caucus are backing her, though members of Congress who were supposed to attend Friday's press conference didn't show up.
However, an influential African-American lawmaker, Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-Calif.), came to McKinney's aid Wednesday night. Millender-McDonald, the ranking Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which oversees the Capitol police, called the House sergeant at arms, Wilson Livingood, amid rumors that McKinney would be arrested, her spokeswoman, Denise Mixon, said Friday.
Mixon denied Millender-McDonald tried to prevent an arrest.
"The congresswoman did not intervene. All she did was ask a question: 'Where are we now?' " Mixon said.
She said the conference call also included McKinney and Tad Vandermeid, legal counsel to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.).
Mixon said Livingood did not specifically address whether there were plans to arrest McKinney, saying, "An investigation is going on." Millender-McDonald asked to be kept abreast of any developments, and Livingood agreed to do so, Mixon said.
Staff writer Scott Shepard contributed information about Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald and The Associated Press contributed an account of what officers said occurred in the incident with McKinney.
I see she ".....rounded up the usual suspects".
I am quite happy that McKinney is pushing this issue to ridiculous limits, proving herself to be a not overly bright racist. No wonder the Black Caucus would choose to steer clear. But if she gets away with this, which is not beyond possibility, we are in more trouble than I think.
There is a lesson here folks, and many of us bloody well know it. Our enemies, both foreign and domestic, continue to play the race (or religion) card to unite "their" people against us, while at the same time preaching that we all need to be more tolerant of others.
The GOP is doing nothing to fight back, are they? They let this and other blatant lies slide. Why do they let the Democrats get away; with saying that The GOP is the party of the rich, when in reality they are the party of those who produce.
It is becoming more and more difficult to find a "friend" anywhere.
All true, and she's not much fun to look at.
McKinney Quotes
Eight generations of African-Americans are still waiting to achieve their rights - compensation and restitution for the hundreds of years during which they were bought and sold on the market.
Cynthia McKinney
Ever since I came to Congress in 1992, there are those who have been trying to silence my voice. I've been told to "sit down and shut up" over and over again. Well, I won't sit down and I won't shut up until the full and unvarnished truth is placed before the American people.
Cynthia McKinney
I would ask our President to sidestep the "Rambos" in the White House and The Pentagon who are reported to want to use nuclear weapons and free our Secretary of State to do his job.
Cynthia McKinney
Images of burning Red Cross and UN buildings struck by US bombs contrasted with images of thousands of desperately poor Afghan women carrying sickly and starving children out of Afghanistan as they flee the might of the US military is tearing at international public confidence in our war against terrorism.
Cynthia McKinney
In November 2000, the Republicans stole from America our most precious right of all: the right to free and fair elections... Now President Bush occupies the White House, but with questionable legitimacy.
Cynthia McKinney
In the fight against bigotry, we stand together and we must. In the fight against injustice, we stand together and we must. In the fight against intimidation, we stand together and we must. After all, a regime that would steal an election right before our very eyes will do anything to all of us.
Cynthia McKinney
It now becomes clear why the Bush Administration has been vigorously opposing congressional hearings. The Bush Administration has been engaged in a conspiracy of silence.
Cynthia McKinney
The world is teetering on the brink of conflicts while the Administration's policies are vague, wavering and unclear. Major financial conflicts of interest involving the President, the Attorney General, the Vice President and others in the Administration have been and continue to be exposed.
Cynthia McKinney
This is a time for leadership and judgment that is not compromised in any fashion. This is a time for transparency and a thorough investigation.
Cynthia McKinney
To any honest observer, Zimbabwe's sin is that it has taken the position to right a wrong, whose resolution has been too long overdue--to return its land to its people.
Cynthia McKinney
We, as the world's most powerful nation have a responsibility to act in defense of the weak and to protect them from harm. We failed in Rwanda - We failed in Srebrenica - We failed in East Timor. And now, as we speak - We fail in Jenin.
Cynthia McKinney
We've lost thousands of people already, and as the Administration begins its preparations for war, every American and the families of our soldiers and victims of the hijackings deserve to know that justice for those responsible is what motivates our actions and not just convenient scapegoating.
Cynthia McKinney
What is... disturbing to me is that many of these pro-Israeli lawmakers sit on the House International Relations Committee despite the obvious conflict of interest that their emotional attachments to Israel cause... The Israeli occupation of all territories must end, including Congress.
Cynthia McKinney
I agree. And I wonder if we and the world would be having this discussion if the officer were black.
THanks Swinney! I like 'bama!
Thanks for the blast from the past....What people forget, and which really shows the real state of the Dems in Congress..is that moderate/liberal Denise Majette, who defeated McKinney in 2002, and had garned wide support from traditional dems from all around the country, gave up a safe, nay, life time seat in the House, after less then one term, for a kamikaze run for the Senate..because she realized that the CBC in the House was insane, and she wanted no part of it..
"C'mon, chil,' we gots to gets to the press conferences so's we's can be on the TV!"
Oh, there are even better ones than these. She was the one who asked if we'd see the flag placed on the moon with the MARS moonrover.
My guess is that she's also one of those conspiracy nuts who believes that it was never placed on the moon and that the whole moon landing was a Hollywood movie trick.
The police have videotape(s). Use it/them.
A not very funny racial stereotype.
U. S. Rep as 'Title of Nobility'. Either we are equal or we are not. The uninfringed Second Amendment is a fine litmus test.
live C-span coverage, no doubt?
Ha! If you aren't from her district, I wouldn't sweat it, mate. That's one crazy corner of Atlanta.
Also, I don't really know much about him, but from what I hear, sounds like Isakson is a pretty solid Senator.
What this really comes down to is arrogance. Most people would come hat in hand and apologize to the security officer.
She not only doesn't apologize, but is in our faces demanding justice and money.
What a shining example of stupidity.
C-SPAN is taking calls on this subject for about a half hour. It just started.
Will the videotapes show the racial hatred that occurred? Will they show the profiling that took place?
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