Black Activists Say Allegations Regarding Rep. Cynthia McKinney Deserve Investig

For Release: April 6, 2006
Contact: David Almasi at 202/543-4110 x11
or Project21@nationalcenter.org

Project 21 members have the following comments on the current grand jury investigation of U.S. Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) for her alleged assault on a U.S. Capitol police officer:

"McKinney should be arrested and prosecuted for assault, just like any other American," said Project 21 member Deroy Murdock.  "That's called equal justice under law.  She should look into it."

Murdock added: "Rather than explain herself and apologize for hitting this officer, which would make this whole thing go away, Representative McKinney decided to go ballistic and turn this into a matter of alleged sexism and racism.  Are the Capitol Police now supposed to look the other way when women, blacks or those who are both black and female walk into the U.S. Capitol without stopping to be checked or identified?  Is this the policy Representative McKinney really considers wise during wartime and while Washington is appropriately concerned about terrorist attacks?"

"This is not a matter of gender or race.  This is a matter of security and law," said Project 21 member Gregory Parker.  "No elected official or their ego is above the law.  Simply identifying herself would have saved all of us the headache of this grand jury, investigation and the race and gender allegations that do little to help race relations.  It also could have saved the taxpayers' money."

On March 29, Representative McKinney reportedly struck a police officer in a U.S. Capitol office building.  The officer sought to stop her after she quickly bypassed the building's security area.  Members of Congress are exempt from normal security procedures, but Representative McKinney was not wearing the pin that identifies her as a member of Congress at the time.  She also recently changed her hairstyle.

According to reports, the officer asked Representative McKinney to stop three times before reaching out to detain her.  At that point, she reportedly struck the officer in the chest.  Representative McKinney issued an apology on April 6, but only after she and her attorney alleged she was the victim of racial profiling and "inappropriate touching" by the officer.

For more information, contact David Almasi at (202) 543-4110 x11 or Project21@nationalcenter.org, or visit Project 21's website at http://www.project21.org/P21Index.html. New Visions Commentaries can be found at http://nationalcenter.org/P21NewVisions.html.

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