![]() Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga. |
The former Democratic congresswoman from Georgia who now is the Green Party's
candidate for president has claimed the government killed 5,000 prison inmates during Hurricane
Katrina, dumping their bodies in a Louisiana swamp, according to a Fox News report.
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Cynthia McKinney told a news conference in Oakland., Calif., Sunday she heard the story from the mother
of a National Guard soldier, and she checked it with "insiders" who want to remain anonymous.
"And these were mostly males and her son was afraid to talk because he had signed a silence
agreement," McKinney said, according to Fox News. "So he only complained to his mother. But the data
was entered into a Pentagon computer."
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She alleged the government authorized the executions to be done with a bullet to the head.
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"I suspect that these are prisoners. ... So this investigation of the whole prison industrial
complex is extremely important and it should not end with just a question of the nature of prisons in
our country. These 5,000 souls also need some justice too," Fox reported she said.
Lt. Col. Les Melnyk, a spokesman for the Defense Department, called it "outrageous."
"The claim ... doesn't merit any further consideration," he told Fox. "It would be inconceivable
that 5,000 people would go missing in America without anyone noticing it prior to this."
Here is her comment:
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Psychologists and psychology professors contacted by Fox News expressed shock at the
assertion.
"Wow! What a conspiracy theory," one professor exclaimed.
Commenting on the Fox News website forum were largely of one opinion:
- "I am surprised she didn't claim it was 5,000 black men and a racist plot by Bush!
Liberals eliminated all mental hospitals; now I know why! They would fill them all up!" - "I have never heard of her, this lady is a FRUIT LOOP."
- "Life must be really scary on her planet."
- "Obviously not the brightest crayola in the box. ... Cynthia...stick a fork in yourself dear....your
DONE!"
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Fox said McKinney's presidential campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
She was in Congress for 12 years until 2007. She has, in the past, suggested President Bush
knew in advance about the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks but didn't warn Americans because of his
father's business interests.
In 2006, McKinney was accused of slugging a Capitol police officer when she went through a security
checkpoint without a congressional lapel pin for identification.
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