Representative McKinney Vying for the Middleweight Title?

Georgian Democratic Representative Cynthia McKinney has apparently been taking some boxing lessons lately, as she reportedly struck a Capitol Police officer.

From FoxNews.com:

According to the sources, McKinney was walking into the building at about 2:30 p.m. EST and went around the metal detector, which is customary for lawmakers.

The police officer apparently did not recognize McKinney and asked her to stop and walk through the metal detector. McKinney ignored the officer's requests more than once, the sources said, and the officer placed his hand on McKinney's shoulder.

The sources said that McKinney then turned around and hit the officer in the chest with her cell phone.

Striking a police officer is always a smart move, virtually regardless of circumstances.

After Rep. McKinney attempted to bypass the checkpoint and was stopped by the police officer, she had two main options:

1) Stop and respond to the police officer's request.

2) Keep moving and respond with force if the police officer persists.

One option is legal and shows evidence of common courtesy and sense, while the other option is illegal and belies an angry nature and an overdeveloped sense of self-importance. Sadly, McKinney went with the latter option.

CNN.com sheds more light on the confrontation:

Members of Congress are allowed to bypass the metal detectors and security checkpoint. They are supposed to wear a lapel pin that identifies them as lawmakers. McKinney acknowledges she wasn't wearing one when she was stopped, but concurred with Myart that police should know who she is.

So, according to McKinney herself, she attempted to bypass a police-staffed security checkpoint without the necessary credentials. I'm not sure how a pin can ensure the identity of a lawmaker, but that's besides the point. Hundreds of other lawmakers understand the rules about the security checkpoints, but McKinney decided she was special. She tried to disobey the rules, and responded violently when a lowly police officer tried to do his job. If and when the Capitol Police decide to file assault charges Rep. McKinney might actually have to take responsibility for her actions.

But wait, the story doesn't end there!

While the police have been mulling over their option to press charges, McKinney has been busy attempting to spin the encounter as a tale of racial bias and attempted assault by the Capitol Police. From CBSNews.com:

Her lawyer, James W. Myart Jr., said, "Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, like thousands of average Americans across this country, is, too, a victim of the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials because of how she looks and the color of her skin."

"Ms. McKinney is just a victim of being in Congress while black," Myart said. "Congresswoman McKinney will be exonerated."

Oh, of course! McKinney was stopped simply because she was black, and therefore suspicious, not because she declined to wear her identifying pin. And what about her violent response to the officer touching her (from CNN):

During the conference, held at historically black Howard University in Washington, civil rights attorney James Myart said his client was "assaulted" by a Capitol Police officer, whose name the department refuses to release.

"Because she was assaulted and placed in impending fear of her safety, she responded," he said. "This case has just begun and we're going to fight, and we're going to use the U.S. Constitution."

Oh, good grief.

Myart said McKinney would seek a criminal investigation against the officer, and a civil lawsuit against both the officer and the Capitol Police is being explored.

Of course. She has to push ahead full steam with her excuse and try to make everyone else pay for her stupidity.

Myart further called the incident racial profiling and said there was "no excuse" for Capitol Police not recognizing his client, and Raffauf said she was stopped solely because of her race, gender and politics.

I find the charges of racial, gender and political profiling rather unsubstantiated, Mr. Myart. Your client acted impetuously when she decided to slug a police officer, plain and simple. This has absolutely nothing to do with race, gender or political beliefs, and everything to do with someone who decided to play by her own rules.

(Edit: Forgot a block quote)