My take on Cynthia McKinney....

[kentuck]

I have put off saying anything up to this point. However, I recall when she bravely stood up and told the truth about Bush in his first term. Then, she was defeated in her re-election bid. So she sat out for two years and made a comeback as her constituency decided to send her back to Congress..

It's not often that we get a second chance in life. Usually, when we do, we make the most of them. But Cynthia got a second chance and I hope she has not blown it? I don't know what happened with the Capitol policeman - only what I have read.

However, I cannot blindly support anyone without the facts. I am not that partisan yet. I hope she was not so arrogant to think she could just walk by and ignore the rules that everyone else must adhere to. I hope she does not think that her position in Congress gives her that type of privilege. If the policeman went out of his way to harass her, then I hope that truth comes out. Until then, I will withhold judgement.

[movonne]

1. The whole Mc Kinney thing smells like rotten fish...I want proof...

[400Years]

2. But the McKinney bashers already know all the facts

at least they claim to.

[Karenina]

11. Here a a few facts to counter the smears...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x836040#847546

"I hope she was not so arrogant to think she could just walk by and ignore the rules that everyone else must adhere to. I hope she does not think that her position in Congress gives her that type of privilege."

Rep. McKinney has been harassed, as have others of her hue in Congress, by "security" for YEARS. She has indeed received "special treatment" from them.

[Crazy Dave]

3. It's nice to see someone with a reasonable mind around here

I don't buy the "race card" bullshit but I do know rent-a-cops harass people who are less intimidating than ones who might kick their ass.

:hi:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. You don't think Rep. McKinney would kick their ass?

That's funny, I'm a big guy, and I wouldn't fuck with her if she were coming after me!

[Crazy Dave]

17. I really don't know how big she is but I'd assume, and I'm only assuming

...that someone would take advantage of her more for being a woman than for her race.

My wife was harassed by a rent-a-cop one time because her cell phone was on but a few minutes later she said an elderly man started raising hell in the office and the security guard was too afraid to say anything to him. It took an older woman who actually worked there to tell the old guy to calm his ass down, not the rent-a-cop on harass 5' blonds with cell phones patrol.

[Horse with no Name]

4. I am the same

However, you can bet your ass if that tape showed the Capitol Police doing exactly what they said they did, it would be shown on Faux News from daylight until dark--over and over.
That is the reason I don't believe things are as they say.
However, the pundits are out spinning this, pretty soon people will believe the spin and disbelieve what they see with their own eyes.
Don't you agree there is a reason the tape isn't being shown?
I want them to SHOW it. It will stop all this nonsense in its tracks.
Of course that could be exactly why it isn't being shown.

[mrcheerful]

5. Excuse me but from my take on things, its all lies and deciet on the cop

how can you not know who someone is after seeing them come and go for 6 years? Why after 6 years is she stopped and asked who she is? I smell a rat bastard.

[medeak]

6. Wonkette on McKinney this am:

McKinney Watch: Keep Ya Head Up, Cynthia
Cynthia McKinney, who is just one horse/spandex photo away from being our favorite member of the House of Representatives, has gone at least a day without having another press conference. This saddens us. How can we continue to fan the media circus flames if you’re not willing to surround yourself with another children’s gospel choir and drag Danny Glover (“the American People are too old for this shit!”) before the Washington Press corps? Again, we mean. ‘Cause you did that on Friday.

[benburch]

24. Wonkette isn't Wonkette any more.

And I refuse to read a fake Wonkette.

[medeak]

28. answer emails immediately

Can get a correction within minutes. For that I read him.

[Janice325]

7. Thanks for another reasonable McKinney post

I am stressing myself out over so many of these really nasty "who did what to whom and why" posts about McKinney and cop that I can't stand it.
Don't we have much more important things to worry about in the great sceme of things?

[hlthe2b]

8. Many of us are saying similar...

and being taken to task by those who feel anything less than unconditional support amounts to attacking her. This upsets me as much as those who unquestionably swallow the MSM (or RW) talking points.

But, I don't intend to be attacked by fellow progressives for merely stating I was witholding judgement until all the facts come out. That we don't expect total agreement and "purity of thought" without question is among the major things that always separated liberal/progresives from the Bushbots*

[tatertop]

10. Watch Amy Goodman's report on this. Something evil going on here.

very evil

[400Years]

13. Here's a link to that

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/04/1419259

[rman]

14. Here's the essentials: no ID required, pin or otherwise.

Security personnel is required to be able to recognize Congress members on sight.

[slaveplanet]

27. I knew it

The capitol police are a paramilitary force. Federally trained at bootcamps.

The public is being sold a line. He had no right touching her,and this attack is highly coordinated from both sides.

---------------------------------------------

http://www.uscapitolpolice.gov/profiles.html

Trainees begin their classes and training immediately while receiving full pay. To start off, you spend one week of orientation at our training facility in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. Upon completion, you will participate in eight weeks of intensive training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia or Artesia, New Mexico. Training covers such areas as:

* Police procedures
* Psychology
* Criminal law
* Laws of arrest
* Search and seizure
* Physical defense techniques
* Physical Abilities Test (PAT)
* Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB)
* USCP Height / Weight Chart

After graduation from FLETC, you will return to our Capitol Police Training Academy for ten weeks of additional training. Upon completion of this training, officers are assigned to a field training officer and then continue to develop their skills through on-the-job experience and continual in-service training. Public relations, firearm proficiency, and physical fitness training are among the many areas stressed throughout an officer’s career.
(...)

U.S. Capitol Police. Each has their own story… each has their own motivation…

(...)

interest in assisting all Members, employees, and visitors of the Congressional community is also of vital importance.

(...)

Must be a High School graduate or possess a GED certificate.

(...)

The dedication. The pride. The legacy

Mission Statement-
Our mission is to protect and support the Congress in meeting its Constitutional responsibilities.

(...)

we are responsible for protecting Members of Congress, Officers of the United States Senate, United States House of Representatives, and their families. We serve these individuals throughout the entire United States, its territories and possessions.

(...)

http://162.140.64.108/ramgen/cappolice/cappolice8.rm

[onenote]

34. where is that written down

I've been in the offices of the Capitol Hill police and I've seen the posted photos, so yes it is a goal of the CHP for officers to be able to recognize members of Congress. But I've yet to see anything establishing that its a "requirement" and that members of Congress may disregard any order that they receive from the CHP. THere certainly is nothing on the CHP website to support that theory.

onenote

[rman]

35. CHP is supposed to "protect and support" congress, not to order them

around.

Capitol police is supposed to "protect and support" Congress members. It is not a requirement for Congress members to flash ID nor to wear the ID pin.
Members can be in a meeting off the hill when they are called to vote, for which they have 15 minutes. It is common practice for them to basically just run in and out of there.

[onenote]

37. its also common practice for them to respect the authority of the CHP

You've got to be kidding if you think that when a Capitol Hill police officer directs a person that they have not identified to stop and that person disobeys, the officer is not carrying out his/her duty to "protect and support" members of Congress. That is exactly what they're doing. You're right that its not a requirement for Congress members to flash and ID or wear the ID pin. But whether they are wearing it or not, they don't have carte blanche to disregard the Capitol Hill police any more than you or I do. And they generally don't. Most of the time, they're recognized, either by sight or by the fact that they are wearing their pin. On those occasions where they are not recognized -- and McKinney isn't the first member not to be recognized and won't be the last -- the officer may inquire as to the identity of the person and from talking to CHP (before the McKinney incident, I might add), they say most of the time the member co-operates, sometimes grudgingly, sometimes with exasperation, but they don't claim that the cop has no right to ask them.

onenote

[rman]

38. What makes you think McKinney did "disobey" the CP?

How about she was rushing in as she has done many times (member for some 6 years or so), while on her cell phone; how unlikely is it that she just didn't hear the CP addressing her until he grabbed her. That's not "disobey". What makes you so sure that she did disobey the CP?

[onenote]

39. from the cop's perspective, she didn't follow his command

that's enough to entitle him to stop her.

Next time a cop tries to pull you over for running a red light or speeding, try ignoring him and then tell him you had the radio on and didn't hear the siren. See if it makes any difference.

onenote

[rman]

40. But why look at it only from the cop's perspective?

There's a big difference between the relationship between a 'normal' cop and any 'ordinary' citizen on the one hand, and on the other hand the relationship between a member of Congress and a Capitol Hill Police Officer. Also Congress members rushing in and out of Congress while passing the guards is not the same thing as traffic in the streets. So your argument doesn't hold.

Again: Why look at it only from the cop's perspective?

[onenote]

42. because its the cop's duty to protect the building

and he can't possibly know whether someone who is not responding to his commands is ignoring him or not hearing him. So it doesn't matter. What matters is that he feels that in order to ensure the building's security he needs to confirm the identity of this particular person, who is not gong through security.

[rman]

43. Not so much the building but rather the members

http://www.uscapitolpolice.gov/profiles.html

"Mission Statement-
Our mission is to protect and support the Congress in meeting its Constitutional responsibilities."

The building has no Constitutional responsibilities, but congress members do.

[onenote]

44. same difference

security the building is securing the members.

[oasis]

20. Thanks for the link. It's an eye opener. (eom)

[tatertop]

29. Everyone should have to read that before discussing this

[rman]

12. McKinney's defeat

She didn't so much get a "second chance", rather she popped back up like a balloon held under water.


"In 2002, McKinney was defeated in the Democratic primary by Denise Majette, then a DeKalb County judge. McKinney protested the result in court, claiming that Republicans in the mostly-Democratic district 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."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynthia_McKinney#Primary_Defeat

----

The Screwing of Cynthia McKinney
By Greg Palast, AlterNet
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=229&row=1

<snip>

The BBC report which got McKinney in hot water mentioned the Bush Administration’s reluctance to investigate associates of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), which the FBI secret document termed “a suspected terrorist organization.” They may be. They may not be. McKinney’s question was only, Why no investigation?

Just after McKinney’s defeat, the courier of Osama bin Laden's latest alleged taped threat against the United States was busted in Africa: He was on the staff of WAMY. Shortly thereafter, Prince Abdullah, the Saudi dictator, invited WAMY leaders to his palace and told them, “There is no extremism in the defending of the faith.”

So if you listen to U.S. radio and read U.S. papers, you are told this: Abdullah’s protector and godfather, George W. Bush, is sane and patriotic, and McKinney, who wants to investigate these guys, is a loony and a traitor. Got it?

<more>

[rman]

15. She didn't ignore any rules

It's not a self appointed "privilege" to just walk in and out of there - Congress members do that all the time.

[cali]

18. Agreed, but although I support McKinney

I don't think she's handled this well. The press conference she held on Friday was over the top. She's contributed in making this a big media circus.

[medeak]

19. thanks for pointing that out

and her appearance on Wolfie was ridiculous.

(this is not flamebait mods..just my true feelings)

[rman]

31. She entitled to respond to accusations directed at her in the public arena

Capitol police is supposed to "protect and support" Congress members, and they are supposed to recognize Congress members on sight. There are only 17 black Congress women.
Members can be in a meeting off the hill when they are called to vote, for which they have 15 minutes. It is common for them to be in a hurry, it is pretty much standard procedure to basically just run in and out of there.

McKinney would be out of line only if she did in fact "hit" the officer in a way that is equivalent to some kind assault. I find it very hard te believe that is what actually happened. You to seem to think it's not even the issue, rather you take issue with her defending herself against the accusations that are propagated by the MSM.

There's plenty RW spin out there painting McKinney in a negative light, while the case hasn't even been to court.
Initially the spin was that she did "hit", "punch", "poke", "lash out". Then is was "she didn't follow procedures", now it's "she didn't handle this well". They keep changing the arguments; if one doesn't fly they will try another. Talk about media circus.
The less people hear of her side of the story, the more likely it is that people will think the spin is the truth. And you say she should remain silent?


1) US Capitol Police, training, profiles etc
http://www.uscapitolpolice.gov/profiles.html

2) Cynthia McKinney Accuses Capitol Police of Racial Profiling
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/04/04/1419259

[meti57b]

16. I think it would be stupid to smack a cop, but I'm wondering if she.....

just put her hands up in front of her face in an instinctive defense posture and accidentally clipped him.

[jarab]

21. And my first take on the subject ....

....
...
...
...
...
...
...

(because none of us has enough solid info to make judgments one way or the other. The truth may never be known. IMO, not worthy of BP-elevating squabbles.)

...O...

[kentuck]

22. Thanks jarab...

I think it's probably received more attention already than it deserves...we can only elevate its importance for the Repubs.

(How's everything?)

[NNN0LHI]

23. What a novel idea. Wait until the truth comes out before judging someone

I would have never thought of it. This is my first post on the subject by the way.

Don

[kentuck]

25. Thanks Don...

I appreciate your posts. :)

[benburch]

26. I agree totally.

But I disagree with people who think that she should be above the law if she indeed did what she is accused of having done.

I said this in another thread and was called an agent of the GOP for my troubles!!!

[JStuart]

30. I personally

don't "like" her... but she does represent her district well.

[KoKo]

32. GACK! Kentuck! well...I guess I understand your concerns...

but I just posted something you should look at...alas... I don't have the link at my fingertips..

I'll search for it...

[KoKo]

33. Okay.....here's the post where I might disagree with you on this........

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x853508

But, maybe I'm just going at it from a "different angle?" :shrug:

[BigBearJohn]

36. If the pukes can support Delay after all he's done, McKinney gets MY LOVE

[JStuart]

41. hmmmm...

latest thing on the news they talk about her hired "thug" pushing around a reporter ???????????

Where the hell is the Delay coverage? All they can do is talk about McKinney and her 1/2 apology.

Grrrr..... liberal media?? Phewww!!!!!!!!