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 Policehave 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]