While most of the nation is wondering why there has been no Department of Justice action regarding the March 29 assault of a federal officer by Georgia's Democrat congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, she has demanded a retraction from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In a July 30 editorial, that newspaper noted that McKinney ''slugged (McKenna) with her cell phone.''

Capitol Hill police officer Paul McKenna stopped McKinney on March 29 when she tried to bypass a metal detector without wearing the pin identifying her as a member of Congress.

According to the police report, she struck the officer ''in his chest with a closed fist.''

The National Journal reported: ''McKinney pulled her arm away, swinging around, cell phone in hand and punched the officer square in his chest, according to the witnesses.''

On Capitol Hill, The Hill newspaper reported that McKinney ''struck the officer in the chest with her cell phone.''

This begs three questions:

1. Is the crime of assaulting an officer any less if he is struck by a clenched fist instead of a clenched cell phone?

2. Since the Atlanta daily was subjected to a retraction demand, why weren't the National Journal and The Hill?

3. Does anyone believe that McKinney will sue, in the event she so deservedly loses the early August primary election, where the polls indicate she is substantially behind?

Just how much of an extremist this congresswoman is was illustrated in the Journal-Constitution's July 30 editorial, which noted McKinney,''suggested that President Bush had known in advance about the September 11 attacks, but did nothing to stop them so his friends could profit from the ensuing war.''

This contention, plus her undisputed assault of an officer, should have led the House of Representatives to vote to expel her.

But historically the House has put up with all manner of its members' misbehavior without expulsion. There is also the good possibility that a majority of the voters of McKinney's Georgia district will have the decency to vote this notorious congressional miscreant out of office.

Her attorney, J.M. Raffanf, told Cybercast News Service: ''Officer McKenna never said she hit him with a cell phone.''

And that begs the question: What evidence is there that a clutched cell phone is more damaging than a clenched fist?

And should either of these have been used by a congresswoman to assault a Capitol police officer who was doing his duty in protecting the U.S. Capitol from possible terrorists?