Punished for Telling the Truth

A Fiery ex-Congresswoman Hopes to Make a Comeback
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: April 11, 2004

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga., April 10 (AP) — Cynthia A. McKinney, Georgia's first black congresswoman, is trying to regain the seat she held for 10 years but lost, largely because of fallout from incendiary remarks about the Mideast and terrorism.

Winning will not be easy, even some of Ms. McKinney's fellow Democrats say. For one thing, her past statements may be hard for voters to forget.

"It's going to be a real battle," said Representative John Lewis, Democrat of Georgia. "Even if Cynthia gets the nomination, I don't think it'll be a cakewalk."

Before her ouster, Ms. McKinney received national attention for her bold comments and conspiracy theories, particularly after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

She claimed the Bush administration had done nothing to stop the attacks because the president's friends stood to profit. She scolded Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York for turning down a $10 million gift for the victims' families from Prince Alwaleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia, after the prince suggested that American policies toward the Mideast were partly to blame for the attacks. (She then asked the prince to give the money to her home district instead.)

Ms. McKinney also drew criticism for speaking out in support of Palestinian causes and against American sanctions on Iraq before the war.

She lost the 2002 Democratic primary to Denise Majette, a former state judge who said in her campaign that she would not embarrass her suburban Atlanta district as she claimed Ms. McKinney had. Ms. Majette is now seeking the United States Senate seat being vacated by former Gov. Zell Miller.

Ms. McKinney, 49, and officials of her campaign did not return telephone calls and an e-mail message seeking comment.

Some voters say Ms. McKinney's past remarks are too outlandish for a member of Congress, while others say Washington can use a voice like hers.

"That's the kind of people you need, who's not afraid to go against the grain," said Grace Young, 52, after buying lunch at a Jamaican bakery on Cynthia McKinney Parkway in Ms. McKinney's old district.

Virginia Houghtaling, 51, a resident of Stone Mountain Village, said she had serious doubts about what Ms. McKinney could accomplish because of her stances. "I don't know if I'd vote for her or not," Ms. Houghtaling said.

Charles S. Bullock III, a political scientist at the University of Georgia, said Ms. McKinney's comments would definitely harm her. "She's such a well-known quantity now, it would be difficult to redefine herself," he said.

Professor Bullock said Ms. McKinney was also hurt by off-the-cuff comments by her father, Billy McKinney, who himself is trying to regain a seat in the State Legislature that he lost in 2002 after 30 years. Before his daughter's defeat, Mr. McKinney spelled out on television the reason he believed she faced such a tough battle: "J-E-W-S."

Ms. McKinney attributed her 2002 loss to "malicious crossover voting" by Republicans in her district, which is heavily black and Democratic. A federal judge rejected a lawsuit filed by supporters of Ms. McKinney charging a violation of the Voting Rights Act.

Professor Bullock said white voters were the key to the easy 2002 primary victory of Ms. Majette, who is black.

This year, Ms. McKinney's likely competition in the July 20 primary includes Nadine Thomas, a state senator, and Cathy Woolard, the president of the Atlanta City Council. Ms. Woolard is white and Ms. Thomas is black.