U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney’s silence on three pro-gay bills currently in Congress is a mystery to those who recall her past outspoken support for gay rights.

McKinney represents Georgia’s 4th Congressional District, including DeKalb County and part of southern Gwinnett County. Since taking office in January, she has yet to sign on as a co-sponsor for Rep. Marty Meehan’s (D-Mass.) Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a bill that would repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy banning openly gay soldiers. To date, the bill has 78 co-sponsors, including Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).

McKinney sits on the powerful House Armed Services Committee, where the bill currently awaits action. But she also did not join seven other Democratic members of the committee who sent an April 4 letter to committee chair Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), asking him to hold hearings to review the military ban.

“One of the reasons we’re so perplexed she hasn’t signed on as a co-sponsor is because of her past support of LGBT issues — she’s generally outspoken and supportive of our community,” said Steve Ralls, spokesperson for the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a national organization seeking equality for gays in the military.

During McKinney’s 1992-2002 tenure in Congress, she spoke in favor of rescinding “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” She also voted against the Defense of Marriage Act, which denied federal recognition to gay marriages, and supported adding sexual orientation to a federal hate crimes bill.

“Her silence is a mystery to us,” Ralls said. “We don’t know why she is not a leader on this issue.”

To date, McKinney has also not signed on to two other bills being tracked by gay rights advocates. The Responsible Education About Life Act would award $206 million per year to states for comprehensive sexuality education. The Family & Medical Leave Inclusion Act would amend the 1993 Family & Medial Leave Act to permit gay employees to take time off from work to care for their partner, same-sex spouse or family members of partners.

U.S. Reps. Sanford Bishop and John Lewis, both Georgia Democrats, are co-sponsors of the Responsible Education About Life Act; there are currently no Georgia co-sponsors of the Family & Medical Leave Inclusion Act. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay rights organization, backs all three bills.

“Rep. McKinney has a strong track record with the community and we hope she signs onto these bills soon. Her co-sponsorships of these bills will signal that support,” said Jay Smith Brown, a spokesperson for HRC.

Repeated attempts through e-mails and phone calls to interview McKinney or her staff for this story were unsuccessful. Staff members requested questions in writing, but did not provide answers.

Healing needed?
McKinney’s silence on pro-gay bills should not be a mystery, said state Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), Georgia’s only openly gay state lawmaker and a close ally of McKinney.

McKinney may still feel the sting of her 2002 election defeat, when numerous gay voters backed political newcomer Denise Majette, helping Majette oust the 10-year incumbent.

“Some in the gay community dumped her in favor of Majette, even though she has always been a staunch supporter of gay rights,” Drenner said.

Majette offered the first credible opponent to the controversial McKinney, who suffered a severe backlash from voters after her perceived public insinuation that President George W. Bush knew about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks before they occurred.

“She has taken such heat from black conservatives in her district because of how she stands on human rights including gay rights,” Drenner said. “It’s as if we abandoned her.”

Majette opted to run for U.S. Senate in 2004, and McKinney made a bid to regain her old congressional seat. But when the Human Rights Campaign, which continuously gave McKinney perfect scores on gay rights in its annual report card between 1992-2002, bypassed endorsing her in favor of candidate Cathy Woolard, who is gay, McKinney may have again felt the sting of being abandoned by gay Georgians.

When McKinney planned her political comeback last year, she courted her base — mostly black voters — by visiting churches, homes and community centers in a campaign that utilized little media coverage.

No attempts were made by McKinney to reach out to gay voters as had been done in the past, although apparently none were needed: She gained more ...

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