White House refuses comment on McKinney

By WND Staff
Published April 4, 2006 at 7:25pm

Presidential spokesman Scott McClellan declined to comment today about Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney's scuffle with U.S. Capitol Police, for which she could face criminal charges.

WorldNetDaily White House correspondent Les Kinsolving asked McClellan, "Since there have been so many public statements made in support of Congresswoman McKinney's apparent defiance and cell phone slugging of a Capitol Police officer who tried to stop her from entering the Capitol when she was wearing no security badge, how long will the president keep silent when this Congresswoman has already held two press conferences, one of which did not allow the media to ask any questions. … "

McClellan responded: "It's a legal matter; we'll leave it to the appropriate authorities. I have not discussed it with the president."

Monday, police sent the results of their investigation of the Georgia congresswoman to a federal prosecutor, who will decide whether to press assault charges.

She could be charged with simple assault, a misdemeanor, or assault on a police officer, which is a felony.

Black clergy and elected officials backed McKinney at an Atlanta church Monday, contending she was the victim of a white police officer's racial bias.

Last Wednesday, McKinney was stopped by a Capitol policeman while going around a security checkpoint in a House office building. Congress members are allowed to bypass the checkpoints, but McKinney was not wearing her ID pin and the officer did not recognize her.

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