Cynthia McKinney: They Put Up Her Picture with Silence, Cuz Her Identity By Itself Causes Violence
Ahh, Cynthia McKinney. You crazy conspiracy-theorizing firebrand. We read your statement -- it's pretty good, but instead of "unfortunate confrontation" you should've said "laid the smackdown on" -- and we read all about your previous problems with The Man:
In August 1993, during her first term in office, a Capitol Hill police officer tried to prevent her from bypassing a metal detector, as members of Congress are allowed to do. For years afterward, The Hill reports, the Capitol Police pinned a picture of McKinney to an office wall, warning officers to learn her face because she refuses to wear her member's pin. (And because officers are innately suspicious of a black woman with braided hair and gold shoes.) Five years later, she blasted White House security after guards thought her 23-year-old white aide was the congresswoman.
And, you know, the easy response here is "this chick's crazy," but seriously, the Capitol Police have a picture of her hanging in their office -- even if, as the Reliable Source notes today, she got a haircut, you'd think "recognize members of Congress" would be pretty damn high up on the list of Cap Police responsibilities, like right below "watch out for bombs" or "ignore Roy Blunt's moonshine still."
Anyway, the cops aren't really saying much, but Hill rumor has it that that the Cap Police are gonna arrest McKinney when the House gets out of session today. Which, you know, would be awesome. Once again: Arrested for bribery? Lame and predictable. For punching a cop in the face?
Bad. ass.
Statement of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney on Capitol Hill Incident
Cynthia McKinney [Slate]
A Lawmaker Confronts the Long Arm of the Law [WP]
READ MORE: capitol police, congress, cops, crime, cynthia mckinney, punching, representatives, tha police, violence
Why do you keep saying she punched him in the face? Everything I've read says chest.
by blithespirit on 03/30/06 01:16 PM
Such a quandary for Republican Political Leadership: how do they play this? You would be amazed by how little traction you get around my house by just saying "Cynthia McKinney" and rolling your eyes, though i bet that does just fine in such red-state communities as are occupied by folks who read newspapers. As if.
But i thought the reeps were eager to make some headway among the Negroes this political season, and crowing about how Bad Ms. McKinnon wasn't nice enough about being assaulted by a cop for walking while black is NOT the way you win votes for your side.
Look for a story (if there is one) featuring the blackness of the cop, if there is some. Republicans are just dense enough to think that kind of thing matters.
by Hugo de Naranja on 03/30/06 01:38 PM
Have the Capitol Police ever heard of Article I, Section 6 - "The Senators and Representatives . . . shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from AQrrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same . . . ."
In other words, she can constitutionally kick any cop's ass while on her way to session.
by Gunner on 03/30/06 02:50 PM
I think everybody's heard about that little constitutional easter egg. it was responsible for one of the best Warren G. Harding stories, and one of the best Washington DC stories ever. Harding was in a whore house, naked, when the cops came in the door. He stood up, put his hat on and said "Out of my way young man -- I'm on my way to my duties at the US Congress!"
Of course Harding was (absent a rigogous application of the one drop rule) white, and times were different. i guess that explains this little rudeness problem the Kapital Kops have. I bet Terry Gainer is laughing right about now.
by Hugo de Naranja on 03/30/06 04:34 PM
In 2002 McKinney lost her US House seat to Denise Majette, who was a poor campaigner-painful to watch--and undoubtedly a poor politician as well. I guess Decatur, the district, just wanted anyone else to avoid the humiliation of having McKinney as their representative (anyone who was black, that is). Upon Cynthia's loss, Daddy McKinney publicly blamed the loss on the JOOOS. Then Majette declined reelection and ran for Zell Miller's vacant Senate seat (the logic has not made it to the public). Majette lost-like no one could see that coming-and McKinney strolls back easily, given this district, into the House of Representatives. This district is a black kleptocrocy.
by Direct Fire on 03/30/06 04:39 PM
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