If McKinney "assaulted" the police, then simply SHOW US the video.

[shance]

If she had assaulted the police, they would have mass copied and sent it out to every network so fast our heads would be spinning.

This is an assault alright. An assault on Cynthia McKinney.

[Rainscents]

1. Amen!

[cali]

2. It's my understanding

that the actual altercation is not on tape. In any case, we don't know enough to know what the hell happened. I wish that the Capitol Police and Ms. McKinney had just handled this discreetly. I dislike the Capitol Police leaking that she might be arrested, and I didn't think too highly of the press conference. IMHO, both sides look pretty tacky.

[shance]

3. Oh bullshit. The altercation somehow didn't make it to "primetime video"?

Sorry Cali - not buying that one.

[oasis]

17. If the video of the Rodney King beating would have first been turned over

to the authorities , the tape would have disappeared. I want these capital cops to explain why there isn't a tape of the incident. They have a lot of other things to explain as well.

[file83]

52. Exactly - I started a thread making that exact point but no one chimed in

I agree with you 100%.

[LostinVA]

57. Wrong -- they have said they are NOT releasing the video

Why? And, this also means they WON'T be charging McKinney... because if they do, she and her attorney will have a chance to look at the tape... and they do NOT want that happening.

[IsItJustMe]

4. many police have a tendency to make mointains out of mole hills.

I am sure it was much to do about nothing when it's all said and done.

[shance]

5. I'm going to agree with you IIJM. I would add that there is an invested

group that are very anxious to scapegoat Cynthia McKinney just like they have tried with Cindy Sheehan and other strong women.

I believe its an effort to cripple their power because they are powerful, strong women and they are not afraid to tell the truth.

[Karenina]

6. Kill 'er before she MULTIPLIES!!!

SOP.

[McCamy Taylor]

7. Worse than Cindy. The guard at fault for touching her. She didnt

expect some guy to grab her, so she was defending herself. When an african-american woman tries to defend herself, it is called assault.

[shance]

11. You're probably right.

I wouldn't know, but I believe it from all the covert, continuous, insideous amount of racism and sexism we are witnessing today. And like this incident, its very underhanded and kind of sinister.

Well, whatever we want to call it, it shows every sign of a set up. If not, they simply would have shown the video. Case closed.

This is similar to the "assault" by John Conyer's wife. It is an assault on powerful women, which is disappointing because this planet is in need of some strong, compassionate women, which I believe both Cynthia McKinney and Cindy Sheehan are. You don't defend those who cannot defend themselves without having a large dose of compassion.

Seeing the level of racism these days, very little surprises me at how individuals are being scapegoated and treated because of the color of their skin and/or their gender.

[IsItJustMe]

22. Yeah, I'm thinking it was a natural reaction of having someone grap you

when you least expect it. I have a very intense reflex to situations like this and I don't even think about it.

[mom cat]

46. That was my first impression too. Also, does the officer have bruises?

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[symbolman]

40. So the cop couldn't have followed her?

Or told someone to trail her and make sure that she wasn't some problem, then when she turned into her office or talked to another House Member who could vouch for her they could ask her to kindly wear her pin, etc?

How hard would that be?

No, instead we get the same cop/fbi type shit where they BURN places DOWN rather than wait them out, starve them out, or follow them.

Goddam little banty roosters is what these guys are, we used to eat them for a late night snack on Saturday nights if they bugged us at ALL back when I was a young man. One of my pals beat up the entire Winthrop Harbor police force one night while I sat on the hood of the car laughing :)

Punks with a badge.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[symbolman]

42. Yeah I;ve been all over there

I carried cameras and equipment through all those checkpoints, even rode that little train down in the basement right behind Conyers.. as a matter of fact I CHASED Conyers down two hallways in the basement of the Capitol to get his permission to film the Downing Street Minutes hearing, he got me into the Hearing full of Media cameras..

Yeah, I know the whole route and I also know there isn't ONE COP standing at the door, they have plenty of backup, some with shotguns, etc

Tap her on the shoulder? Evidently he DIDN'T DO THAT now did he? Nope, full body block.

Total Overkill, and he would have had to follow her around ALL DAY? Bullshit, you know in 5 minutes if someone isn't supposed to be in there, there are guards EVERYWHERE, another guard down the hall could have ID'd her for the BULLY that she tried to teach some manners to.

You're argument has no merit whatsoever, been there, done that, know how the system works..

Hell, one of Conyers aides walked ME right into the Capitol with NO ID, so that dog don't hunt.

[jjmalonejr]

8. Did you ask for the audio of Cheney saying "F--- You"?

The point is, she wasn't wearing her ID pin, the guy didn't recognize her, he tried to stop and identify her and she reacted badly.

I don't think anyone's saying she beat the tar out of anyone. A Capitol Hill policeman was doing his job and she went all "don't you know who I am? you're stopping me because I'm a black woman, aren't you?" on him.

I generally admire McKinney's politics, but it doesn't make her infallible. She's being a brat imho.

[shance]

12. How in the world does that compare? It was clear he said it, there were

witnesses who agreed that it happened with Cheney.

What we have here is some policemen apparently claiming "ASSAULT!

Cynthia McKinney is attacking THEM, when they are not only bigger, stronger, they are armed with either a Colt 45, 9MM, and probably a Taser and who knows what else?"

Tell me who is honestly going to assault who, IF anything even ever occured, which I don't believe it did and they are refusing to release the video tape.

This is pretty ridiculous. A policeman for all intents and purposes does not get assaulted. Would you ever assault a police officer? Of course you wouldn't. If you did you are a fool.

However some police have been know to assault and even kill at times when it is unprovoked. The balance of power is clear and it takes a special individual to be able to handle such power all the time. Look at the weapons police have at their disposal versus American citizens and versus Cynthia McKinney.

Oh and I think another important thought to consider: how many White Congressional male leaders forget their pin? Do they get hassled in this way?

[LostinVA]

58. Exactly . The point of the smear isn't whether or not Rep. McKinney screwe

up security protocol, the point of the smear is that SHE HIT A COP. You know, just like all those crazy black women you see on "Cops." SEriously, I really believe that. I guarantee Congressional officials daily ignore checkpoint protocol and NOTHING happens. Maybe a word from a guard, a huffy "Sorry," and that's it. THis is a full-out RW PR attack, period.

[nicknameless]

61. I wonder if the report said that she "lunged" at him.

That word to me is always code that the cop is lying. I've heard it reported that way in numerous stories about people of much smaller stature allegedly attacking officers. Every time I hear it, a little bell goes off -- "Lie-lie-lie-lie"

:eyes:

[radio4progressives]

23. Is Intimidation and Harrassment the Job of Capitol Hill PD?

From a variety of reports, Cynthia McKinney is constantly harrassed by the Capitol Hill police. Insulted, berated and Humiliated.

Seems like this might be the case in this instance, but we don't really have all the facts - and the media has been fairly skewed against Mckinney portraying her as anti-semitic, lunatic and always "off the reservation speaking out of turn"... That's pure racism and you all ought to know that..

It's kind of sickening and disturbing to see DU'rs take the whitie's version of the "truth" as portrayed in the CM - when all other "reporting" of other issues are known to be skewed if not straight out disinfo. Interesting how suddenly the media has credibility when it comes to certain racial issues like the immigration thing as hyped up by Lou Dobbs, and now this by people like Tweety who is otherwised severely scorned for his obvious political bias for christian fascists and war mongers.

i mean people please ! THINK first don't just REACT.

[Roy]

38. A brat?? To come to that conclusion.....

You have to ignore an awful lot that has been made public.
This pin I hear so much about. Does it have her picture on it? Does it have her name on it? If not why is it so important to display it? She says she showed him her Congressional ID, which would have her name and picture on it.

So, if Mohamed Atta was wearing a one of these pins he could have gotten a pass around the metal detectors, but Miss McKinney gets grabbed or touched after showing picture ID?

And we are supposed to feel safer with these guys running the show. Please tell me another one!!

This pin sounds like something to key on in order to make it seems as if she did something wrong and take the CHP off the hook.

[rman]

49. The point is NOT 'was she wearing her ID pin'

There is no mention of pressing charges against McKinney for not wearing her ID pin. As you very well know.

How do you know what took place and who said what? All we've got is allegations spread by the RW noise machine. This while irrefutable evidence of what did take place does exist - it's just that they won't release it.

So you have no basis for calling McKinney a "brat".

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. With All Due Respect, Is This How All Criminal Complaints Should Be

handled?

Seriously, should we demand that if video exists of any accusation for anybody ever it should be released immediately and on widespread scale to everybody always? Doesn't that sound a bit absurd?

There is no reason why this deserves some sort of special handling or why she should be treated any differently than any other case of this type.

[Catrina]

25. Maybe because she has never been treated the same way as 'everyone'

else in Congress, unless you want to compare her treatment to that of Max Cleland.

Maybe we should be asking:

Should Democrats be treated the same way as Republicans?

Example:

1) Cindy Sheehan was arrested, held overnight in jail and roughed up by the same Capital Hill cops (wonder was it the same one).

By contrast

2) On the same night, the wife of a Republican Congressman was NOT arrested for presumably the same 'offense'.

Another example:

1) A Democratic president was impeached for lying about an affair.

By contrast

2) A Republican president is not even being questioned for lying about a war

And another:

Dick Cheney shoots and seriously injures a man while hunting. He fails to notify authorities and when he does, they are not allowed in to look at the scene of the accident to determine whether or not a crime, such as drinking while shooting, eg, was committed.

It didn't happen, but how would this same incident have been treated were it Al Gore in the same set of circumstances?

....

The only facts available on this incident so far, say, imo, that Cynthia McKinney did nothing wrong:

1) When asked, she produced her ID.
2) Because of her hairdo, the cop refused to accept her ID.
3) The initial claim said she hit the cop with her cell phone.
4) The latest report (perhaps they've reviewed the video?) says she hit him in the chest, but doesn't mention a cell phone.
5) We are not being told the names of the cops. Why?
6) Not wearing a lapel pin is common among Congresspersons, so Cynthia not wearing it is not unusual nor is any kind of statement. She had her ID with her.

All I've heard from her publicly so far, is that she regrets the incident occurred and that she respects and appreciates the work the Capital Hill cops do. There is no admission or denial in her statement, that she did anything wrong. It was unpleasant, and maybe that's all it was. That's all I see from her statement.

From the cops, I keep hearing different reports ~ first,

1) That there will be no charges filed, then (maybe after they are influenced by political operatives?)

2) That there is an investigation going on and a warrant may be requested. But later,

3) That there is still an investigation going on, therefore the cops must remain anonymous and a warrant will be issued next week.

I don't see how anyone can say she 'committed a crime and should be treated like anyone else'. Seems to me, she is already NOT being treated like everyone else, but has been judged already.

You say she should be treated like everyone else. Okay, let's do that. Let's wait 'til she's at least charged with something, before we get to the conviction part. :eyes:

[Rosemary2205]

26. I believe you are mistaken

McKinney said in her news conference that she produced her ID and it was accepted. The hairdo thing was because she thought he should have recognized her without her pin or ID. - at least that's my take on her news confernence.

[Catrina]

30. I believe you are mistaken. If her ID was accepted, we wouldn't be

talking about this. The officer did not accept her ID ~ that is why he went after her. He did not believe she was the person shown on the ID. If you know for a fact that her ID WAS accepted, then why did he accost her?

[Rosemary2205]

36. Catrina - YOU HAVE BEEN INFORMED WRONGLY

Here's McKinney's statement. - I do believe the information you were given is incorrect.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/8361195/detail.html

This morning at approximately 8:57 am, I was going to a Budget Committee meeting due to start at 9:00 am. I was rushing to my meeting when a white police officer yelled to me. He approached me, bodyblocked me, physically touching me. I used my arm to get him off of me. I told him not to touch me several times. He asked for my ID and I showed it to him. He then let me go and I proceeded to my meeting and I assume that the Police Officer resumed his duties.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

27. I Stand By My Post 100%.

You also said "I don't see how anyone can say she 'committed a crime and should be treated like anyone else'"

I hope you weren't implying that came from my post, since it didn't. I also hope you weren't implying that came from my post, and twisted it intentionally to make the statment more sever than it was.

[Catrina]

33. No, I wasn't implying that it came from your post.

What your post asked for was that she be treated like anyone else ~ since she has not been charged with anything yet, I assume you meant 'leave her alone' and don't let's assume anything at all ~

Sorry if I wasn't more clear ~ :-)

[rman]

50. Evidence before conviction is "special handling"?

You want to base your opinion on accusations spread by the RW noise machine?
What reason do you have to trust the RW and the MSM?

[flyarm]

10. nothing snarley here..nope no siree..

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

straight from General electric..recipient of no bid contracts in Iraq...

gotta love these stories..nothing here..don't look...move on..
shock of all shock...rethuglicans sent out emails..don't look now...

snip...
Ga. congresswoman scuffles with Capitol police
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12070031

Republicans circulated an e-mail noting that McKinney’s party the same day announced an election-year “affirmation” of their commitment to shoring up the nation’s security.

“On a day when the Democrats unveil their national security agenda, it’s probably not a good idea to allegedly strike a police officer,” said Ron Bonjean, spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.

‘Reckless behavior’
Hank Johnson, a DeKalb County, Ga., commissioner who is running against McKinney in this year’s Democratic primary, said voters “must hold Ms. McKinney accountable for her continued pattern of irresponsible and reckless behavior.

“For years, it’s the people of the Fourth District who have suffered and been shortchanged because of our representative’s behavior in Congress,” Johnson said. “It’s why she is ineffective in Congress.”

[johnnie]

13. After reading your post

I was wondering if maybe she wanted to get in some sort of "altercation". She is running for re-election it seems and it could have been a way to boost her votes. I'm not saying she did, but who knows? According to the reports she didn't have her ID pin on and she didn't stop when she was asked to stop.

I am wondering who started to make this a huge issue, was it her, the cops, the media :shrug:

Once again, I am not saying she *did* do this on purpose, but seeing the statement made by her opponent and seeing that she is running for re-election, it could be a possibility.

[flyarm]

21. she did not have her badge on but she showed the cops her cong i.d.

she showed her congressional i.d. to the cops!

what more could she do than show her i.d.??

did she have to do a song and dance as well?? she showed her congressional i.d.

isn't that what an i.d. is for??????

and how many black women are in congress?? when the cops are supposed to know who and what each member of congress looks like??

how many black women congresswomen are there..a hell of alot less than white men!
has this ever happened to say..tom delay???????

fly

[shance]

14. Absolutely! We know how much these White privileged Conservative males

just love Female African American Democratic legislators.

Just ask Carole Moseley Braun, or any other woman on the hill for that matter.

[johnnie]

16. You think all the cops were paid off to harass all the women?

I don't understand your accusation here.

[Gabi Hayes]

43. GREAT GET! now it's starting to make some sense

tell me that the fascists don't PLAN these sorts of things

they do stuff like this all the time to drown out positive Dem messages, which then get drowned out in the furor fascist PR stunts generate

do you seriously put ANYthing past these freaks?

donning TF hat

excellent job, though!

[Rosemary2205]

15. McKinney is likely the one that leaked it.

She's up for election in Nov and needs face time. I'm in her district. I voted for her. I'll continue to vote for her. But let's not kid ourselves here.

[oasis]

18. Leaked what? What are we kidding ourselves about?

[Lars39]

19. There's easier ways to get "face time" that do not involve possibly

being convicted of a felony.

[Rosemary2205]

20. There's not one iota of chance

that she'll be charged with anything. All this "felony" talk is just to make the incident bigger than it was.

[rman]

24. "leaked"? - was it supposed to be kept secret?

Those things are not secret, it would have gotten out anyway. There was no reason for anyone to leak anything.

[Catrina]

29. Kid ourselves?? The first report I read was not a leak from Cynthia

McKinney ~ it was a news report, which generally come from police reports. If it came from anywhere else, the report did not say so. Why on earth would you even make such a suggestion? Do you have anything at all to back that up?

Personally I would NOT vote for someone who tried to 'get face time' by orchestrating a possible felonious scuffle with a police officer, for what purpose exactly??? I would consider such an individual to be at the least, foolhardy and stupid and not worthy of my vote. She may be outspoken, but I have never heard anyone call her stupid.

I'm surprised that you would consider voting for her were your 'assumption' to be proven true ~

[Gabi Hayes]

45. yeah...sure

and I'm the Count of Monte Cristo

nice try, though

[LostinVA]

59. Leaked what????

The initial report was leaked by a RWer...

Hmmmm... you voted for her, huh?

[WindandSeaBee]

28. Where did it say she was on camera when it happened?

I must have missed that...

[newyawker99]

32. Hi WindandSeaBee!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Pastiche423]

35. Good gawd!

Where have you been in the past week? That little tidbit has been all over the news!

Seems to me, you've missed a lot.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Pastiche423]

39. In your previous post

you stated: "Where did it say she was on camera when it happened?"

Since the day it occured, many printed on-the-internet articles have stated there was a tape.

BUT! Since the Capitol Police have refused to show the tape, no one besides the Capitol Police have seen it.

Get it?

[Gabi Hayes]

47. check your PMs!

[Pastiche423]

48. Got it!

And I am in agreement.

[rman]

51. security cams

[stepnw1f]

34. Because It's Right Wing Bullshit

[IndyOp]

44. Show us the video! Show us the video! Show us the video! (n/t)

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[file83]

53. If the video doesn't fit, you must acquit!

[Tsiyu]

54. This is making my head spin this is a rant, folks.

I agree. Show me what Cynthia McKinney has done.

:rant:


I don't know how clear I can make this, but I speak for McKinney and others when I say this:

I did not create a society where I, as a female, have to panic any time a man gets physical with me. I did not make that world. Cynthia did not make that world. You all know what the hell I mean, too.

There are some of you humans out there - mostly male - who think that by virtue of your physical superiority, you can control me. And that is the core of this issue. Control.

She speaks her mind, and that scares the everloving shit out of some people. So she must be punished. Humiliated. Oh Boy! Let's drag out the fucking time-honored tradition of claiming she is: lazy, hysterical, irrational, erratic, unstable. Just like every other strong women in the history of our planet. Yeah, like them.

I wonder. Don't these people get tired of telling the same fucking story about EVERY strong woman?

We get scorned, burned at the stake, ignored, called crazy. Gosh, how many death threats do you reckon Cynthia gets in a day? No way it should be the officer's concern to protect her!!!!! No way he should know which members are at risk. Gee, they just hire any fucking flake off the street apparently.

I am sorry, but I have worked in many fields, and if I had hired or managed that officer, he would have been fired THAT DAY.

There are far too few black members to claim a security officer did not recognize one of that small number. If the guy isn't a sniveling racist, I'll eat my toe ring. If he isn't a racist, at the very least he is highly incompetent and should NOT be given the discretion to "secure" a bag of dog food, let alone a government building.

If you lived in Cynthia's world - where people no doubt threaten you every single day of your life - you might tend to be a bit jumpy. Fuck you people who have a problem with that. Work to make this a world where we females don't goddamn jump out of our skin when somebody gets physical.

And stop enabling a cop who should be protecting McKinney rather than terrorizing and threatening her.

She's not going to shut up, so fucking deal with it, and start respecting the women around you.

[Karenina]

55. WOO-HOO!!!

:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

[glitch]

56. Hear, hear! nt

:applause:

[LostinVA]

60. Snap snap snap!

[oblivious]

63. Damn. That was good!

[JohnnyRingo]

62. That's what I was thinking yesterday....

Don't tell me there wasn't a camera on the security checkpoint.
I guess it doesn't portray the "official" account.