If Bush a Traitor, McKinney a Terrorist

May 16, 2002

ATLANTA: The Southeastern Legal Foundation today called on U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) to return all campaign contributions she received from individuals and organizations with ties to, or who have expressed support for, Islamic terrorist organizations. The Foundation also renewed its request that U.S. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO) suspend McKinney from her sensitive committee assignments pending an investigation of her campaign contributions and ties with terrorist sympathizers. McKinney serves on the House Armed Services and International Relations Committees, where she receives classified briefings on the war on terrorism.

McKinney, from whom a statement is expected today claiming that her allegations last month about Bush administration foreknowledge of the events of Sept. 11, 2001 were correct, also claimed that President George W. Bush is prosecuting the war on terrorism to benefit financial investors with close ties to the defense industry. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer acknowledged yesterday that the White House received a "general warning" about potential hijackings related to Al-Qaeda in August 2001, and issued a private warning to appropriate government agencies.

"Congresswoman McKinney has the facts wrong - again," said Phil Kent, SLF President. "General threats, like dozens of similar threats received by the Clinton administration regarding Osama bin Laden, do not make for a successful conspiracy of silence."

"Elected officials with dirty hands throw mud, and Congresswoman McKinney is no different," said Kent. "If President Bush has committed high treason by allowing the attacks of Sept. 11 and prosecuting an eight-month international war on terrorism to financially benefit his friends then, by that reasoning, Cynthia McKinney is a terrorist because she has accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from terrorist sympathizers."

"A quick read of Congresswoman McKinney's web site and press files makes it clear -- she is an advocate for radical Islamic and anti-American interests in the Arab world," said Kent. "While Congress is investigating the U.S. preparedness before the Sept. 11 attacks, it should also investigate one of its own members, who has become the chief 'go-to' for Arab and Islamic causes in Congress."

The Foundation released information in late April tracing thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to the McKinney campaign back to individuals and organizations with ties to, or who have expressed sympathies for, terrorist organizations. For more information, please visit www.southeasternlegal.org.

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