Green National Committee to Consider Resolution Disavowing Former Presidential Nominee Cynthia McKinney

The Green National Committee is considering a proposal to formally disavow Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party’s 2008 presidential nominee, over accusations that she has consistently promoted viewpoints that run contrary to the party’s stated principles.

The proposal was introduced by the party’s Young EcoSocialists Caucus along with the Mountain Party of West Virginia and the Arizona Green Party. It is currently before national committee members for discussion, with voting scheduled for November 2 through November 8.

McKinney represented Georgia’s 11th and 4th Congressional Districts as a member of the Democratic Party for a combined six terms before leaving the party and becoming the Green Party’s presidential nominee for the 2008 election cycle.

The three groups accuse McKinney of repeatedly promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, climate change denial, and far-right extremism. To support their accusations, they have provided an extensive collection of references to posts made or shared by McKinney on social media, including statements questioning the number of Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust and repeating claims about Jewish control of government and financial institutions.

The proposal also references a September 2023 incident in which McKinney promoted an online event involving former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. That event was later condemned by both the Wisconsin Green Party and the Green Party of Washington, whose statements were then republished by the national party.

While the sponsors note that McKinney is no longer affiliated with the national Green Party following the 2021 disaffiliation of the Georgia Green Party, they argue that she has continued to involve herself in national party affairs, including endorsing candidates for public office and for party leadership positions.

If approved, the resolution would formally disavow McKinney and urge Green Party affiliates, caucuses, officers, and candidates to reject or withdraw endorsements involving her. It would also encourage party organizations to refrain from supporting candidates who promote McKinney or accept her endorsement.

The full text of the proposal is below:

Resolution to Disavow Cynthia McKinney and Reaffirm Core Green Party Values

WHEREAS, the Green Party of the United States was founded on key values that include Social Justice, Non-Violence, Feminism & Gender Equity, and Respect for Diversity; and

WHEREAS, crucial to these values is a clear and unwavering commitment to opposing all forms of racism, bigotry, and religious and ethnic hatred, including antisemitism and anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech; and

WHEREAS, in recent years, former Green Party presidential nominee Cynthia McKinney has drawn widespread condemnation for promoting antisemitic tropes, Holocaust denial, anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech, climate change denial, conspiracy theories and extreme far-right rhetoric; and

WHEREAS, while anti-Zionism and legitimate criticism of the state of Israel and its genocidal policies towards Palestinians are encouraged, McKinney’s public record demonstrates a clear pattern of promoting generalized hatred against Jewish people and aligning with far-right extremist and Nazi ideology; and

WHEREAS, McKinney has routinely engaged in explicit Holocaust denial and historical revisionism across her official social media accounts, including making posts on her public X (formerly Twitter) account; and

WHEREAS, in addition to her own posts, McKinney has shared others’ posts which similarly include the above-mentioned far-right extremist ideology; and

WHEREAS, McKinney promoted a 2023 event hosted in part by former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke that characterized Jewish people as the “common enemy,” prompting a condemnation by the Wisconsin Green Party republished by GPUS; and

WHEREAS, McKinney is no longer affiliated with the GPUS, as her home state Green Party in Georgia was disaffiliated in 2021 for anti-trans bigotry; and

WHEREAS, McKinney continues to promote herself as a GPUS member, former presidential candidate, and current Georgia Green Party candidate for Congress in Georgia’s 14th congressional district; and

WHEREAS, McKinney ran in 2020 with Jesse Ventura against the duly nominated Green Party presidential ticket in Alaska, resulting in the disaffiliation of the Green Party of Alaska; and

WHEREAS, McKinney continues to involve herself in GPUS affairs by endorsing candidates for public office and internal party positions; and

WHEREAS, GPUS candidates continue to accept and promote McKinney’s endorsement; and

WHEREAS, continuing to platform, tout, or accept endorsements from McKinney directly compromises the integrity of the GPUS and undermines public trust in our commitment to human rights;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Green National Committee formally disavows Cynthia McKinney due to her sustained public promotion of antisemitism, Holocaust denial, conspiracy theories, anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, climate change denial, and far-right and Nazi hate speech; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Green National Committee urges all state affiliates, caucuses, party officers, and candidates to refuse and retract any endorsements of or from Cynthia McKinney, and to refrain from platforming McKinney or any individuals who actively engage in hate speech or conspiracy theories targeting protected groups; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Green National Committee reaffirms its commitment to separating legitimate political critique, human rights advocacy, anti-war initiatives, and anti-Zionism from antisemitism, conspiracy theories, and far-right rhetoric; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that GPUS and its affiliated state parties and caucuses are encouraged to refrain from electing or promoting, to either public office or internal party office, any candidate who promotes McKinne, accepts her endorsement, or similarly engages in hate speech and far-right rhetoric; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that, upon passage, this resolution shall be published on the official GPUS website and social media; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be formally transmitted to all state party co-chairs and national caucuses to guide public relations and endorsement practices going forward.