Bad information attracting more U.S. enemies

April 12, 2002

ATLANTA: The Southeastern Legal Foundation today sent a letter to the U.S. House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct requesting a formal sanction against U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), who 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.

"Cynthia McKinney has disgraced the U.S. House and has offered falsehoods and innuendo to the terrorist enemies of America," said Phil Kent, SLF President. "We have petitioned the House Committee to investigate and sanction Ms. McKinney's public allegations of high treason by the Bush administration as conduct unbecoming an elected official."

The SLF request, sent to U.S. Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO), Chairman of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, specifically references Rule 43 of the Code of Official Conduct for the U.S. House: "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." Southeastern Legal Foundation, a watchdog organization founded in 1976, successfully pursued professional sanctions against former President Bill Clinton for lying under oath and obstruction of justice.

"Lies about America attracted and emboldened the Sept. 11 terrorists, and Ms. McKinney's comments echo those same falsehoods," said Kent. "She has given credibility to the fasehoods sweeping the Arab world, and has therefore given aid and comfort to the enemies of our nation. We are not seeking criminal charges against Ms. McKinney; we are seeking that she be denounced by the U.S. House and held accountable for her terribly irresponsible, reckless comments even as U.S. troops are engaged in the war on terrorism around the world."

TEXT OF LETTER TO U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STANDARDS OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT

Dear Chairman Hefley and Ranking Member Berman:

U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) has 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 an 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 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."

We hereby request formal action by the Committee under House rules to sanction her accordingly.

As reported today in The Washington Post and hundreds of newspapers and broadcast media outlets across the nation, Congresswoman McKinney is "calling for an investigation into whether President Bush and other government officials had advance notice of terrorist attacks on Sept. 11 but did nothing to prevent them." (Washington Post, April 12, 2002, p. A16)

McKinney is quoted as saying the following statements in the interview:

"Persons close to this administration are poised to make huge profits off America's new war." (Id.)

"We know there were numerous warnings of the events to come on Sept. 11 . . . what did this administration know and when did it know it, about the events of Sept. 11? Who else knew, and why did they not warn the innocent people of New York who were needlessly murdered? . . . What do they have to hide?"(Id.)

"An administration of questionable legitimacy has been given unprecedented power."(Id.)

According to the Post story, McKinney "suggested that the administration was serving the interests of a Washington-based investment firm, the Carlyle Group, which employs a number of high-ranking former government officials of both parties."(Id.) She indicated that "the war on terrorism has enriched Carlyle Group investors by enhancing the value of a military contractor partly owned by the firm."(Id.)

Mr. Chairman, 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. 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.

Mr. Chairman, please consider that McKinney currently faces a formal hearing before a Georgia state administrative law judge, who will consider evidence offered by the State of Georgia on no fewer than six (6) counts of election law violations stemming from McKinney's activities in a voting precinct in DeKalb County, Georgia on election day 2000. McKinney is alleged to have invaded a polling place during polling hours, harassed and intimidated poll watchers, and directly solicited votes while in the polling place. The Georgia State Board of Elections heard the evidence and twice voted unanimously on all six counts to recommend action by a state administrative law judge.

The U.S. House of Representatives maintains a long and distinguished record of discipline and self-regulation. Congresswoman McKinney's public statements 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 seeking the proper sanction against Ms. McKinney. The American people deserve and demand accountability. Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Philip A. Kent
President
Southeastern Legal Foundation

For More Information Contact:
Media Relations
media@southeasternlegal.org
(404) 365-8500