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Sat. Aug 03, 2002

McKinney Donors Probed for Terror Ties

McKinney Donors Probed for Terror Ties – This is month’s old news here at Bunker PD, but it’s not exactly a shame that the Atlanta Constitution has waited until 17 days before the primary to emphasize this story: "Rep. Cynthia McKinney’s re-election campaign has accepted contributions from several people who have come under federal investigation for suspected links to Middle Eastern terrorists or have voiced support for extremist groups [...] Most of McKinney’s individual donors listed on disclosure reports in 2001 and this year have Arabic names and live out of state." (emphasis mine) The article then lists several specific contributors who are either under federal investigation, or are so controversial that other candidates return their money.

But not Cynthia. She justs plays dumb. "Bill Banks, manager of McKinney’s re-election campaign, said this week that the congresswoman was not aware that any of her donors might support terrorist activities, or have ties to organizations involved with terrorism."

Then one must question just what kind of evidence it would take to get McKinney’s attention, and if this level of attention applies to all of her Congressional work. Apparently so: "The McKinney campaign reported most of those contributions as having come Sept. 11, the date of the terror attacks in New York and Washington. But Banks said the campaign had organized a fund-raiser a few days before Sept. 11 and the donations collected were coincidentally recorded on that date. FEC spokeswoman Kelly Huff said the date listed on disclosure reports is supposed to be, by law, the date the campaign received the money. "

And, of course, in most any McKinney-generated defense, the race card must be played: " ’They’re doing stuff like they did in the ’60s to Dr. [Martin Luther] King,’ said [McKinney campaign coordinator Wendell] Muhamad. ’These are American citizens learning to use their money like the very small population which sways a lot of opinion with their money—the Jewish community. That’s the American way.’ " Left unsaid is the fact McKinney’s opponent is also black, as that would sort of negate the ”FBI Persecutes Blacks” argument, as well as the fact a mere 27% of McKinney’s individual contributors came from within Georgia, while 95% of her opponents individual contibutions are homegrown. As for ”the Jewish community,” Jim Wooten’s column notes "...a large Jewish community in the Briarcliff-LaVista area, about 10,000 people, were moved into U.S. Rep. John Lewis’ 5th District when districts were redrawn. ’I heard loud and clear those people wanted out,’ said state Rep. Doug Teper, who represents the area in the Georgia House."

So, to summarize, we have a Congressperson who is somewhere between unaware and uncaring that she is supported by questionable funding, who violates Federal Election Commission regulations, and who portrays her opponent as financed by outsiders … Jews … when the facts clearly show she is the one supported by outsiders.