April 4, 2006

Rep. McKinney Hits Security Guard

Last Wednesday, Rep. Cynthia McKinney got into a fight with a US Capitol Police officer after failing to comply at a metal detector check point. Now she may have a warrant for her arrest on charges of assaulting a law enforcement agent. This Democrat from Georgia has gotten herself into a mess of trouble, and now it looks like her own Party is starting to back away slowly.

An article from The Hill reports:

All of the attention has some Democrats concerned that McKinney is drawing the limelight away from their policy goals and Republicans’ ethical missteps to focus on a momentary, disputed encounter in a Capitol Hill hallway.

“There’s been a lot of eye-rolling,” said an aide to a moderate Democrat who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The national attention it’s been getting has been unfortunate. It’s becoming a distraction.”

She is drawing claims that the entire event was a "race issue," as McKinney is an African-American. However, this whole incident could sour Democrat chances in a very tough mid-term election. One Democratic strategist said, “This isn’t the view of Democrats that we want to project in the tough races, one of victims and race-baiting.”

The issue was taken to the US District Attorney's office yesterday.

Posted by MikeRubino at April 4, 2006 10:40 AM

Comments

What ever happened to this case? I think she should be prosecuted to the fullest extent. It is NEVER ok to assault a law enforcement officer. Of course the whole situation could have been avoided if she would have just worn her "pin" that all of the other Reps and Senators wear (which is sort of a sign to the capitol police that they are "alright" to pass).

I don't agree with this practice either. I think everyone, no matter who you are should have to go through the metal detectors (except those who are supposed to be carrying weapons - police etc.). If anyone else is permitted to pass without going through the metal detectors, then they have defeated the sole purpose of the detectors.

In this case, Rep. McKinney believed that the capitol EVERYONE should recognize her just because she is one of the only black female Reps. But that doesn't mean that every black woman that approaches the capitol police should be permitted to skip the metal detectors! What would have set her apart from those who are not Reps, would have been her pin... which she refuses to wear.

When she was questioned by the officer, she ignored him, leaving him with no choice but to try other means to get her attention. So he put his hand on her shoulder (I believe it was her shoulder) and she, in turn, assaulted him! Then tried to use her race as the issue. Does she think that she should be permitted to skip normal policies of: wearing her pin, passing through the metal detector, AND physically attacking a law enforcement officer because she is a black woman? If this is the case, she in mentally incapable (not to mention racially biased) of serving her current position.

I don't care who you are, it is NEVER ok to assault a law enforcement officer.

Does anyone know what the outcome of this case was?

Posted by: Tony at July 25, 2006 3:35 PM