Cynthia McKinney Accused Of Hitting Officer

[Gold9472]

I'm getting angry.

[ThotPolice]

Lawyer Says McKinney a Victim in Scuffle
Lawyer Says McKinney a Victim of 'Being in Congress While Black' After Reports of Scuffle

http://www.forbes.com/business/healt...ap2638730.html

By LAURIE KELLMAN
The Associated Press
4/1/2006

WASHINGTON - A lawyer for Rep. Cynthia McKinney, the Georgia congresswoman who had an altercation with a Capitol Police officer, says she was "just a victim of being in Congress while black."

McKinney awaited word Friday on whether she would be charged for apparently striking the officer after she entered a House office building this week unrecognized and did not stop when asked.

Two law enforcement officials said it was unlikely a warrant would be issued this week. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

Her lawyer, James W. Myart Jr., said, "Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, like thousands of average Americans across this country, is, too, a victim of the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials because of how she looks and the color of her skin."

"Ms. McKinney is just a victim of being in Congress while black," Myart said. "Congresswoman McKinney will be exonerated."

A spokeswoman for U.S. Capitol Police did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Members of Congress wear identifying lapel pins and routinely are waved into buildings without undergoing security checks. McKinney was not wearing her pin at the time, and the officer apparently did not recognize her, she has said.

"Congresswoman McKinney, in a hurry, was essentially chased and grabbed by the officer," Myart said. "She reacted instinctively in an effort to defend herself."

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.

In a draft of a statement that McKinney did not release, she said the officer "bodyblocked" her during the incident, and she blamed his failure to recognize her on a recent makeover.

"It is ... a shame that while I conduct the country's business, I have to stop and call the police to tell them that I've changed my hairstyle so that I'm not harassed at work," McKinney said in the draft, which was obtained by WSB-TV of Atlanta and posted on its Web site.

An official close to McKinney said the statement was a "work product" never intended to be released.

A news conference scheduled for Friday morning was canceled. McKinney had issued a statement late Wednesday saying she regretted the confrontation.

"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 in the statement on her Web site.

Actor, Danny Glover was expected to appear at an early-evening news conference Friday with McKinney at Howard University.

That gave Republicans material to keep the criticism flowing.

"Rep. McKinney appearing with the star of 'Lethal Weapon'? Not exactly the message you want to be sending," said Ron Bonjean, spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.

In January, during President Bush's State of the Union address, Capitol Police drew criticism for first kicking anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan out of the House gallery, and then for evicting the wife of Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla.

The department is tasked with protecting the 535 members of Congress and the vast Capitol complex in an atmosphere thick with politics and privilege.

The safety of its members became a sensitive issue after a gunman in 1998 killed two officers outside the office of then-Republican Whip Tom DeLay of Texas.

I am a woman, and I am black, therefore I am allowed to hit police officers!!!

Its great she spoke out against bush, but anyone who would belittle actual real race issues by playing the race and gender card in order to free themselves of the consequence of their incorrect actions is effectively discredited in my eyes.

I cant be the only person sick of this?

“I am allowed to punch him because my skin color and vagina make me a victim!”

Does it not make her a racist to sterio type the cop as a racist just because he is white? Why didn't she use the check point was the cop not doing his job?

She is guilty of punching a cop.

[ThotPolice]

Oh wait! Danny Glover was there??? Well a celebrity changes things! We should execute that racist cop! I mean he is white and a cop, Why think? He is obviously a bigot.

[Gold9472]

ThotPolice... you don't think the idea exists that maybe she's being set up? Her home was just vandalized in January. She was driven out of office, only to win her seat back with a 64% showing... it is possible. Especially when you take into account what the Republicans are doing with this. They want her out of D.C. in a big way.

[Gold9472]

Congresswoman in Capitol Fight Apologizes

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/mckinney_scuffle

By LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer
15 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - With a grand jury investigating and little support from House colleagues, Rep. Cynthia McKinney reversed course and apologized Thursday for an altercation in which she entered a Capitol building unrecognized, refused to stop when asked by a police officer and then hit him.

"I am sorry that this misunderstanding happened at all and I regret its escalation, and I apologize," McKinney, D-Ga., said during a brief appearance on the House floor. "There should not have been any physical contact in this incident."

The grand jury investigation into whether to seek assault or other charges was continuing. It was unclear what impact the McKinney apology might have.

Her remarks came as two House officials who witnessed the March 29 scuffle prepared to answer subpoenas from the grand jury convened by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Wainstein. A day earlier, McKinney was shunned on the House floor by several colleagues, while the leaders of her party openly rejected her explanation that she was acting in self defense when she hit the officer.

What McKinney called a "misunderstanding" on Thursday she had labeled "racial profiling" and "inappropriate touching" a day earlier. For nearly a week, she and her lawyers had insisted that she had been assaulted and had done nothing wrong. She is black and the police officer is white.

McKinney, 51, has a history of confrontations with officers.

In this case, she entered a House office building without passing through the metal detector that screens visitors. Members of Congress are permitted to bypass the machines, but she was not wearing the pin that identified her as a House member at the time.

The officer, whose name has not been made public, has said he asked McKinney three times to stop. She did not.

Terrance Gainer, outgoing chief of the Capitol Police, has said the officer placed a hand on her and she responded by hitting him. He said McKinney's race was not a factor.

The incident has embarrassed Democrats, including fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus, none of whom has publicly defended her behavior.

The caucus' silence stands in contrast to its investigations of past scuffles between the U.S. Capitol Police and members.

One such probe occurred in 1990, when the caucus investigated whether Rep. Mickey Edwards, R-Okla. poked a black female Capitol Police officer and shouted curses at her after she had denied entrance to an Edwards staffer who did not have a House identification card with her.

A year later, the caucus investigated an incident in which a Capitol Police officer allegedly denied Rep. Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, entrance to the garage of a House office building because the officer did not believe Stokes was a member.

Republicans initially responded to the McKinney incident by advancing legislation to commend the Capitol Police for their professionalism.

Two House aides who witnessed the confrontation were subpoenaed Wednesday to testify before the grand jury.

Lisa Subrize, executive assistant to Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (news, bio, voting record), R-Mich., and Troy Phillips, senior legislative assistant to Rep. Sam Farr (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., notified Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Bob Jackson, a spokesman for McCotter, said that Subrize witnessed the confrontation and immediately filled out a form for the Capitol Police, describing what she saw.

A spokeswoman for Farr declined comment.

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who on Tuesday abandoned his re-election bid under a cloud of ethics charges, weighed in on Wednesday, saying McKinney "is a racist."

"She has a long history of racism," DeLay, R-Texas, said on Fox News Channel. "Everything is racism with her. This is incredible arrogance that sometimes hits these members of Congress, but especially Cynthia McKinney."

On Wednesday, McKinney had charged anew that racism was behind what she said was a pattern of difficulty in clearing Hill security checkpoints, arguing that officers assigned to protect Congress members should recognize her, even without her congressional pin.

"This has become much ado about hairdo," she said on CBS' "The Early Show." McKinney recently dropped her trademark cornrows in favor loose curls.

[PhilosophyGenius]

McKinney's appology has gots to be embarassing to whoever stood up fo' her and tried to play the race card.

[jetsetlemming]

ThotPolice... you don't think the idea exists that maybe she's being set up? Her home was just vandalized in January. She was driven out of office, only to win her seat back with a 64% showing... it is possible. Especially when you take into account what the Republicans are doing with this. They want her out of D.C. in a big way.

She admited it happened. She's not trying to say she didn't hit the cop, but rather she was "defending herself" from his evil racist tyrrany. Oh, the humanity.

[Gold9472]

Cynthia McKinney Apologizes

Click Here

[Gold9472]

No mention of the applause on the news.

[ThotPolice]

ThotPolice... you don't think the idea exists that maybe she's being set up? Her home was just vandalized in January. She was driven out of office, only to win her seat back with a 64% showing... it is possible. Especially when you take into account what the Republicans are doing with this. They want her out of D.C. in a big way.

Fair but, how did they make her hit the officer?