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Cynthia McKinney

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Cynthia McKinney in 2006
Photo of Cynthia McKinney from her Congressional web site

Cynthia Ann McKinney (born March 17, 1955) is an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. A Democrat, McKinney served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003, and returned in 2005, representing Georgia's fourth congressional district. The district is located in DeKalb County, a largely suburban county east of Atlanta.

Early political career

McKinney was born in Atlanta and currently lives in the Atlanta suburb of Stone Mountain. She is also a Roman Catholic, one of the few members of that faith to have electoral success in heavily Protestant Georgia.

Her political career began in 1986 when her father, Billy McKinney, a representative in the Georgia House of Representatives, submitted his daughter's name as a write-in candidate for the Georgia state house. She received about 40 percent of the popular vote despite the fact that she lived in Jamaica at the time with then-husband Coy Grandison (with whom she had a son, Coy McKinney, now age 16). In 1988, McKinney ran for the same seat and won, making the McKinneys the first father and daughter to simultaneously serve in the Georgia state house.

McKinney immediately challenged House rules requiring women to wear dresses by wearing slacks. In 1991, she spoke out against the Persian Gulf War, causing many legislators to walk out in protest at her remarks.

Service in the U.S. House of Representatives

In the 1992 election, McKinney was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as the member of Congress from the newly-created 11th District, a 64 percent black-majority district stretching from Atlanta to Savannah. She was the first African-American woman to represent Georgia in the House. She was handily reelected in 1994.

However, in 1995 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Miller v. Johnson that the 11th district was an unconstitutional gerrymander because the boundaries were unfairly based on race.

McKinney angrily responded to the ruling by asserting that it was a racially-discriminatory ruling given the fact that the Supreme Court had previously ruled that Texas's 6th district, which is 91 percent white, was constitutional.[1]

McKinney's district was renumbered the 4th and redrawn to take in almost all of DeKalb County. The new 4th, however, was no less Democratic than the 11th, and McKinney was reelected from this district in the 1996, 1998 and 2000 elections with no substantive opposition.

In a 2002 interview on Pacifica Radio McKinney questioned the Bush administration's possible prior knowledge of the September 11, 2001 attacks:[2]

We know there were numerous warnings of the events to come on September 11... Those engaged in unusual stock trades immediately before September 11 knew enough to make millions of dollars from United and American airlines, certain insurance and brokerage firms' stocks. What did the Administration know, and when did it know it about the events of September 11? Who else knew and why did they not warn the innocent people of New York who were needlessly murdered?

— "Flashpoints" with Dennis Bernstein, KFPA Pacifica Radio, March 25, 2002

These remarks provoked criticism, and many Democrats distanced themselves from McKinney's statements. On April 12, 2002, McKinney issued a statement saying that "I am not aware of any evidence showing that President Bush or members of his administration have personally profited from the attacks of 9-11. A complete investigation might reveal this to be the case."

During the 2000 presidential campaign, McKinney wrote that "Al Gore's Negro tolerance level has never been too high. I've never known him to have more than one black person around him at any given time." The Gore campaign pointed out however that his campaign manager was black.[3]

In a controversial remark, McKinney said that on September 13, 2002, Judge Joe Brown had stated unequivocally that the purported murder rifle was not the weapon that killed Dr. Martin Luther King.[4]

Primary defeat

In 2002, McKinney was defeated 58%-42% in the Democratic primary by DeKalb County judge Denise Majette.[5] McKinney protested the result in court, claiming that Republicans, knowing they stood no realistic chance of defeating her in November, had participated in the Democratic primary to vote against McKinney in revenge for her anti-Bush administration views and implied voter fraud. However, Georgia's election laws do not require voters to claim a political party when they register to vote, thus they can participate in whichever primary election they choose.

McKinney's controversial statements regarding 9/11 are widely considered to have led to her defeat. McKinney's reported support of Palestinian causes and her anti-Israel stance also drew the ire of pro-Israel lobbying groups, who donated money to Majette during the primary. On the night before the primary election, McKinney's father stated on Atlanta television that "Jews have bought everyone" in the election. [6]

Between terms

On September 9th, 2004, McKinney participated as a Commissioner in the The Citizens' Commission on 9-11. On Oct. 26, 2004, she was among 100 prominent Americans and 40 family members of those killed on 9/11 the signed the 9/11 Truth Movement statement calling for new investigations of what they perceived as unexplained aspects of the 9/11 events including allegations of failure of US intelligence to act on warnings of upcoming attacks, the breakdown of military air defense, and omissions and distortions in the official investigations.

Return to Congress

Throughout 2003 and 2004, McKinney toured America and much of Europe speaking of her defeat, her opposition to the Iraq War, and the Bush administration. Although speculation suggested that she was considering a run as the Green Party's nominee for the 2004 presidential election, McKinney declined in January 2004 to focus on regaining her congressional seat.

Majette declined to run for reelection to the House, opting instead to become a candidate to replace retiring Senator Zell Miller, a conservative Democrat who often sided with the Republicans. It is not known whether Majette's Senate run was related to the possibility of a rematch against McKinney. McKinney instantly became the favorite in the Democratic primary. Since it was taken for granted that whoever won the Democratic primary would be the district's next congressman, McKinney's opponents focused on clearing the field for a single candidate who could force her into a runoff election. They apparently hoped in the inteirm to drive up McKinney's negatives enough to make it easier to defeat her in the runoff.

However, their efforts were unsuccessful, and five candidates entered the Democratic primary. As a result of the fragmented primary opposition, McKinney won just enough votes to avoid a runoff. This all but assured her return to Congress after a two-year absence. However, the House Democratic Caucus did not restore her seniority, contrary to the usual practice for members of Congress who return after a hiatus.

McKinney hosted the first delegation of Afro-Latinos from Central and South America and worked with the World Bank and the U.S. State Department to recognize Afro-Latinos. She stood with Aboriginals against Australian mining companies; and with the U'wa people of Colombia in their fight to save their sacred land from oil rigs.

9/11 commission and government secrecy issues

Initially, McKinney kept a low profile upon her return to Congress. However, on July 22, 2005, McKinney held a congressional briefing on Capitol Hill to address outstanding issues regarding the September 11, 2001 attacks.[7] The day-long briefing featured family members of victims, former intelligence agency officials, noted authors, and other experts who collectively gave a searing indictment of the 9/11 Commission and its recommendations. First to speak were the Jersey Girls, an organization of 9/11 widows who endeavored to see the 9/11 Commission formed, only to conclude that it was "an insult to the intelligence of the American public," as member Lorie Van Auken described it in her opening statement. The four morning panels were meant to address flaws, omissions, and the lack of historical and political analysis in the commission's report. Three afternoon panels critiqued the commission's recommendations in the areas of foreign and domestic policy, and intelligence reform. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution editorial maintained that the purpose of the event was to discuss whether or not the Bush administration was involved in the 9/11 attacks, and was timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the 9/11 Commission's reports, expressing surprise that McKinney was once again taking on the issue which was widely believed to have been the one that cost her her House seat, yet the Journal-Constitution refused to publish McKinney's reply.[8]

McKinney's interest in 9/11 relates specifically to her opposition to excessive government secrecy. She has submitted to Congress two versions of the same bill, the "MLK Records Act" (one in 2003, the other in 2005,) which, if signed into law, would release all currently sealed files concerning the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr..[9] These records were sealed in 1978 and are not due to be declassified until the year 2038. Likewise, the 9/11 Commission has sealed all the notes and transcripts of some 2,000 interviews, all the forensic evidence, and both classified and non-classified documents used in compiling its final report until January, 2009. Documents relating to the death of rapper Tupac Shakur, which McKinney has taken an active interest in, would also fall under this bill. In a statement, McKinney explained her reason for the bill: "The public has the right to know because he was a well-known figure. There is intense public interest in the life and death of Tupac Shakur.” Critics assert she is merely pandering to her power base. Others point out that legislation demanding release of records is a more direct route than the tedious process and limited scope of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Hurricane Katrina and its responses

McKinney has been an advocate for victims of Hurricane Katrina and a critic of the government's response. A large number of evacuees from New Orleans have moved to the Atlanta area, and many have settled there.

Despite the Democratic Party leadership's call for a boycott, McKinney has been an active participant in the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina,[10] sitting as a guest along with only a few other Democrats. In questioning Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, McKinney referred to a news story in which the owners of a nursing home were charged with negligent homicide for abandoning 34 clients who died in the flood waters, McKinney asked Chertoff: "Mr. Secretary, if the nursing home owners are arrested for negligent homicide, why shouldn't you also be arrested for negligent homicide?"[11]

Another incident in the aftermath of Katrina attracted such attention that McKinney responded with a bill in Congress. Thousands of fleeing evacuees were turned away by the Gretna Police when they attempted to cross the Crescent City Connection Bridge between New Orleans and Gretna, Louisiana. HR 4209, introduced by McKinney on November 2, 2005, would temporarily deny Federal assistance to the City of Gretna Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, and the Crescent City Connection Division Police Department in the State of Louisiana for their maltreatment of individuals seeking aid during the Hurricane Katrina crisis, and for other purposes.

Also introduced on November 2, 2005 was the Congressional Black Caucus' Omnibus Bill (HR 4197) to provide a comprehensive response to the Gulf Coast residents affected by Hurricane Katrina, the second title of which was submitted to the Congressional Black Caucus by McKinney and seeks a Comprehensive Environmental Sampling and Toxicity Assessment Plan, or CESTAP, to minimize harm to Gulf Coast residents from the toxic releases into the environment caused by the hurricane.[12] On October 25, 2005, McKinney had already introduced a longer version of this language as the first of two titles in the CESTAP Bill (HR 4139), the second title of which would establish household inspections for mold and other toxins in the wake of Katrina. (The title dealing with mold inspections was first introduced in the Senate by Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vermont) as Title XI of S 1836.)

At the request of McKinney, the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina, chaired by Thomas M. Davis held a previously unscheduled hearing titled "Voices Inside the Storm" on December 6, 2005. The first of two panels attracted national attention when several African-American evacuees from New Orleans stated their belief that the disaster relief planning for the hurricane and flood would have been better if the victims had been mostly white, and reported nightmarish stories of their treatment at the hands of police and military authorities. Broadcast live on C-SPAN, the hearing received national media attention (including stories from MSNBC, Yahoo! News, Democracy Now! and an AP story that was republished widely). On December 7th, MSNBC's Brian Williams in an interview with former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Herbert Walker Bush, Bush Sr. said "I would discount somewhat the charge" of racism, in response to a video clip from the December 6th hearing.

Anti-war, human rights, and impeachment efforts

On November 18, 2005, McKinney was one of only 3 (out of 406) to vote for a H.R. 571, introduced by House Armed Services Committee chairman Duncan Hunter. Hunter, a Republican, offered this resolution calling for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq in place of John Murtha's H.J.Res. 73, which called for redeployment "at the earliest possible date." In her prepared statement, McKinney accused the Republicans of "trying to set a trap for the Democrats. A 'no' vote for this Resolution will obscure the fact that there is strong support for withdrawal of US forces from Iraq ... In voting for this bill, let me be perfectly clear that I am not saying the United States should exit Iraq without a plan. I agree with Mr. Murtha that security and stability in Iraq should be pursued through diplomacy. I simply want to vote yes to an orderly withdrawal from Iraq."

Rep. McKinney is a co-sponsor of Rep. John Conyers's H. Res 635, which would create a Select Committee to look into potential grounds for the impeachment of President Bush. On January 20th, 2006, she also signed a statement by the group The World Can't Wait called Drive Out the Bush Regime.

McKinney has served on the House International Relations Committee, where she was the highest-ranking Democrat on the Human Rights Subcommittee. McKinney felt that it was important that US policy reflect a deep respect for human rights, so she worked on legislation to stop conventional weapons transfers to governments which are undemocratic or fail to respect human rights. Her legislation to end the mining of coltan in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was mentioned in a United Nations special report[citation needed].

First introduced in 2001, H.R. 2297 will establish the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area in Georgia and provide a management plan for the Area. Under the law, the use of federal funds to acquire land or an interest in the land of the Area is prohibited. More recently, McKinney sponsored H.R. 4279, which would rename the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building after Frank Church, and H.R.4968, "To provide for the expeditious disclosure of records relevant to the life and death of Tupac Amaru Shakur. "

Altercations with police

McKinney has a history of altercations with the United States Capitol Police, which was thrust into public awareness in Spring 2006.

Background

After an incident in 1993 when she had an altercation with U.S. Capitol Police officer, a picture of her was posted for all officers since she frequently declined to wear a security pin identifying her as a member of Congress. There have been four more incidents since, including one involving a complaint that White House security officials mistook her 23-year-old white aide for her.[13][3]

The altercation

On the morning of March 29, 2006, McKinney struck a United States Capitol Police officer with her cell phone, after he grabbed her arm as she went around the metal detectors at the entrance to the Longworth House Office Building after failing to stop at the officer's request.[14] Members of Congress have identifying lapel pins and are not required to pass through metal detectors; McKinney admitted that she was not wearing her pin that morning, but opined that the police responsible for protecting lawmakers should recognize the 535 members of Congress on sight and claimed to have shown her Congressional identification badge.[15]. The basic facts of the event - the failure to wear the pin, the failure to stop when asked to do so by police, the physical altercation wherein McKinney hit a police officer - are not disputed, even by accounts sympathetic to McKinney (see, e.g., A. Jabari, McKinney's Hair & Affair, in THE WASHINGTON POST, 4/10/06), and the physical confrontation was recorded by security cameras.

Initial reactions

Initially defiant, McKinney made a brief statement on her own behalf in Howard University on March 31: "Let me be clear, this whole incident was instigated by the inappropriate touching and stopping of me, a female black congresswoman. I deeply regret this incident occurred, and I am certain that after a full review of the facts, I will be exonerated."

However, McKinney garnered little support among fellow Democrats. Not one Congressional Democrat chose to join her at a news conference to discuss the situation; Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.) said that she found "it hard to see any set of facts that would justify striking a police officer,"[16] and McKinney's fellow Georgia Democrat, Rep. John Lewis, told McKinney that "she needs to lower the temperature and stop holding the press conferences."[17] Outside of Capitol Hill, the Sarasota Democratic Party withdrew from a rally at which McKinney was due to speak.[18]

Due to the subsequent press, the story has been picked up by innumerable blogs and internet opinion sites with a generally negative opinion of McKinney; even the liberal-leaning comedy show Saturday Night Live ridiculed her repeatedly on their 4/8/06 show. On April 3, former Wonkette Ana Marie Cox, interviewed on Joe Scarborough's MSNBC show Scarborough Country, said that "I worry that she [McKinney] makes us [Democrats] all look a little crazy." [1] Within a few days of the first reports, McKinney had been variously described as a "crazy bitch", "race baiter", "freak", etc. Some columns even went so far as to analyze her hairstyle in a negative light and question the quick participation of Harry Belafonte, who is generally regarded as a political polarizing agent and also the recipient of frequent negative commentary due to his public statements.

McKinney arguing her position regarding the altercation
McKinney arguing her position regarding the altercation

News reports variously suggested that the police officer as an individual or the capitol police as a whole were planning to file assault charges. On April 3, 2006, assistant U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips announced that Capitol Police have referred the incident to his office for further investigation.[19] On April 5, the Associated Press reported that the case might be referred to a federal grand jury[20]; the Grand Jury was subsequently called and is currently considering whether to indict McKinney.[21] Under 18 U.S.C. §111(a), McKinney faces a fine or not more than one year in jail if convicted of assaulting an "officer or employee of the United States" (see 18 U.S.C. §1114).

Article I, section 6 of the United States Constitution prevents the arrest of a member of Congress "except treason, felony and breach of the peace . . . during their attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same;" while this does not prevent the charge and arrest of a member of Congress for a crime committed during the session, it does preclude their arrest for such a crime for the duration of the session during which the crime was committed. This may delay criminal procedings until Congress next adjourns; although the Grand Jury may indict McKinney while Congress is in session, that warrant may not be served while Congress is in session.

Reacting to the sudden rise in stakes reflected by appearing potential for criminal indictment, McKinney's attorney, James Myart spoke in a March 31 news conference, suggesting that the officer involved be criminally investigated for inappropriately touching the congresswoman. This charge has not been taken seriously by most commentators and media outlets. Myart went on to say the case typified a pattern of police harassment of black Americans: "my belief is this is no different than that: 'they all look alike'.[22] Recently retired U.S. Capitol Police Chief Terrance Gainer rejected this charge in an interview with CNN:

"I've seen our officers stop white members and black members, Latinos, male and females . . . It's not an issue about what your race or gender is. It's an issue about making sure people who come into our building are recognized if they're not going through the magnetometer, and this officer at that moment didn't recognize her . . . It would have been real easy, as most members of Congress do, to say here's who I am or do you know who I am?"

It has been suggested [2] that McKinney's allegations of racism and sexism were overplayed on her part and have had a boomerang effect. McKinney now faces possible criminal charges from the Grand Jury, ethics charges (and indeed, potentially, expulsion) from the House, may have lost of any pre-existing favor among colleagues.

Moreover, even if not indicted for criminal charges or subjected to disciplinary action by the House, McKinney may face a civil suit; the President of the Fraternal Order of Police has advocated the filing of a civil suit by the officer assaulted by McKinney.[23]

Sudden change in McKinney's attitude

On April 6, 2006, after the Grand Jury was called to investigate, the Associated Press reported that McKinney had expressed "sincere regret" for the altercation and offered an apology to the House. What McKinney called a "misunderstanding" on April 6, she had labeled "racial profiling" and "inappropriate touching" a day earlier. For nearly a week, she and her lawyers had insisted she had been assaulted and had done nothing wrong. She is black and the police officer is white.[24] Various commentators, including the Wall Street Journal questioned the sincerity of the the apology,[25] noting, inter alia, its careful wording, the lack of admission of culpability, and the absence of an apology to the Capitol Police.[26]

References

  1. ^ ""Politics of Race." The NewsHour with [[Jim Lehrer]]". PBS. 9 December 1996. {{cite news}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  2. ^ "Interview with Dennis Bernstein. Flashpoints". Pacifica Radio. KPFA, Berkeley, California. 25 March 2002.
  3. ^ a b Chris Suellentrop (19 April 2002). "Cynthia McKinney - The rep who cries racism". Slate.com.
  4. ^ "Goodbye to All That, by Cynthia McKinney". CounterPunch. 12 September 2002.
  5. ^ {{cite news | url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/08/20/primary.preview/index.html | title=Barr, McKinney lose in Georgia primaries | publisher=CNN
  6. ^ "Lessons from Rep. Cynthia McKinney's defeat, by Michael Barone". U.S. News and World Report. 29 August 2002.
  7. ^ "Press Release". Office of Rep. Cynthia McKinney. 22 July 2005.
  8. ^ ""The 9/11 Commission Report One Year Later: A Citizens' Response – Did They,Get it Right?", by Cynthia McKinney". NOWAR/PAIX. 9 August 2005.
  9. ^ "Martin Luther King, Jr., Records Collection Act of 2005". Government Printing Office. 23 May 2005.
  10. ^ "A Failure of Initiative: The Final Report of the Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina". U.S. House of Representatives. 15 February 2006.
  11. ^ "McKinney Roils Panel". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 20 October 2005.
  12. ^ "Hurricane Katrina Recovery, Reclamation, Restoration, Reconstruction and Reunion Act of 2005". Government Printing Office. 2 November 2005.
  13. ^ "Rep. McKinney has 5th run-in with security". United Press International. 30 March 2006.
  14. ^ "Rep. McKinney Punches Cop". WXIA-TV ATLANTA. 30 March 2006.
  15. ^ "McKinney Faces Arrest for Scuffle". WXIA-TV ATLANTA. 30 March 2006.
  16. ^ "McKinney Reveals Status of Gender, Race". Fox News.
  17. ^ "Lewis advises McKinney to stop". The Hill (newspaper).
  18. ^ "Democrats Pull Out Of McKinney Rally". Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
  19. ^ "McKinney incident referred to U.S. Attorney's Office". The Associated Press.
  20. ^ "Grand Jury to Hear McKinney Run-In Case". The Associated Press.
  21. ^ "McKinney Apologizes Over Scuffle With Officer". The Washington Post.
  22. ^ Carl Hulse (1 April 2006). "Congresswoman Accuses Capitol Police Officer of Racial Bias". The New York Times.
  23. ^ "Officer Considers Lawsuit Against McKinney". WSBTV ATLANTA.
  24. ^ "Congresswoman in Capitol Fight Apologizes". The Associated Press.
  25. ^ "Throw the book at her". The Wall Street Journal / OpinionJournal.
  26. ^ "McKinney Apologizes". The Hill (newspaper).


Preceded by
District created
 U.S. Representative of Georgia's 11th Congressional District
1993–1997 		Succeeded by
Preceded by U.S. Representative of Georgia's 4th Congressional District
1997–2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by U.S. Representative of Georgia's 4th Congressional District
2005– 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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