House investigation into campaign contributions from terrorist supporters

April 22, 2002

ATLANTA: The Southeastern Legal Foundation today sent a letter to U.S. House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt (D-MO) requesting that he take action to suspend U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) from duties on the House Armed Services Committee and International Relations Committee. Citing McKinney's refusal to denounce and return numerous campaign contributions from Arab/Middle Eastern individuals and organizations with ties to global terrorist organizations, SLF requested the suspension in the interest of national security (McKinney receives regular classified briefings on the prosecution of the war on terrorism).

"The U.S. House has the responsibility to investigate the close ties maintained by Congresswoman McKinney with individuals and groups tied to terrorist organizations precisely because she sits on the House Armed Services and International Relations Committees," said Phil Kent, SLF President. "Beyond her anti-Bush rhetoric, Ms. McKinney refuses to repudiate financial contributors to her campaign who publicly support terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah."

U.S. Rep. McKinney recently issued public statements suggesting that the Bush administration and top government leaders knew about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks beforehand but remained silent in order to benefit financial investors of a Washington-based investment group. Of note, between Sept. 11 and Dec. 31, 2001, 100 of 108 contributors over $100 to McKinney's campaign war chest were identifiably Arab or Middle Eastern.

"The factual evidence is clear -- McKinney has taken money from some very dangerous people who have publicly supported terrorist organizations," said Kent. "Congress must not tolerate the appearance of impropriety at a time when America is engaged in the war on terrorism. The stakes are too high, and she has too much access to classified information, to take this lightly."

LETTER TO THE HONORABLE RICHARD A. GEPHARDT
Minority Leader
H-204
The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

RE: Request for Committee Suspension Against U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA)

Dear Congressman Gephardt:

Recent evidence brought to public light by Southeastern Legal Foundation and various media outlets indicates that U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) has accepted and continues to accept campaign contributions from individuals and organizations affiliated with or who have demonstrated on-the-record public support for Arab/Middle Eastern-based terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Hezbollah. Please see the attached documentation.

Several other federal elected officials, including President George W. Bush, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), and U.S. Rep. John Sununu (R-NH), have returned campaign contributions from several of the same organizations and individuals and publicly disavowed any connection or support for terrorist or terrorist-supporting organizations. U.S. Rep. McKinney, however, remains defiant in her refusal to distance herself from any association with said individuals and organizations.

We therefore request that you take immediate action to suspend U.S. Rep. McKinney from her current postings on the U.S. House Armed Services Committee and the U.S. House International Relations Committee. As a member of both committees, she continues to be privy to classified information about the prosecution of the war on terrorism. You have publicly expressed concern about her baseless claims against President Bush. Now, in light of recently exposed information about McKinney's donor base, it is imperative that she removed from the important work of these two committees.

U.S. Rep. McKinney has also disgraced the U.S. House of Representatives based on recent public statements made by her on a radio interview with a Berkeley, California radio station. We believe that her statements warrant investigation by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, specifically, that her statements appear to violate Rule 43 of the Code of Official Conduct, Rules of the House of Representatives, Adopted by the 105th Congress, namely, "a member, officer, or employee of the House of Representatives shall conduct himself at all times in a manner which shall reflect creditably on the House of Representatives."

Congressman Gephardt, the U.S. House has on several occasions passed post-Sept. 11 resolutions endorsing the leadership and discretion of President Bush, as well as condemning the deliberate and surprise attacks by terrorist organizations on that date. The sense of the U.S. House has been and undoubtedly continues to be that the President, his administration, and the U.S. Congress are acting in solemn accord in directing the war on terrorism.

As such, it is shameful and, indeed, unethical and dangerous that McKinney has publicly alleged an unfounded conspiracy of silence involving high elected officials, government employees, and the President himself that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Americans. Incredibly, she later admitted she has no proof for these allegations. For perceived political gain, McKinney has dishonored the U.S. House and her constituents by alleging high treason, and has undermined the sense of the U.S. House in its clearly stated efforts to support and defend the actions of this government in its prosecution of the war on terrorism.

More pressing, however, is the immediate potential danger to national security posed by U.S. Rep. McKinney's continued presence on these two highly sensitive and critical committees. Until such time as the U.S. House can investigate, and Ms. McKinney can respond and act accordingly, suspending her or removing her from the committees is the prudent course of action.

The U.S. House of Representatives maintains a long and distinguished record of discipline and self-regulation. U.S. Rep. McKinney's refusal to address serious questions surrounding her campaign contributors, as well her public statements accusing President Bush and members of the administration of high treason, have brought dishonor and shame on the U.S. House. We therefore request that U.S. House leadership and appropriate committee chairs begin the process for removing U.S. Rep. McKinney from the U.S. House Armed Services and International Relations Committees. The American people deserve and demand accountability. Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Philip A. Kent
President

cc: The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker of the House

The Honorable Robert Stump
Chairman, House Armed Services Committee

The Honorable Ike Skelton
Ranking Member, House Armed Services Committee

The Honorable Henry Hyde
Chairman, House International Relations Committee

The Honorable Tom Lantos
Ranking Member, House International Relations Committee

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