Maxine Waters: Lawbreaker Or Political Target?

Maxine Moore Waters is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991. She is considered to be one of the most powerful women in American politics and is known for her outspoken advocacy for women, people of colour, and other marginalised communities. Waters has also been criticised for allegedly inciting violence and for her alleged involvement in ethics violations. In this context, the question of whether she broke the law is a pertinent one.

Maxine Waters' call for civil disobedience

Maxine Moore Waters, the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991, has a reputation for being a fearless and outspoken advocate for women, children, people of color, the poor, veterans, and seniors. She is considered by many to be one of the most powerful women in American politics today.

In 2018, Waters made headlines for endorsing the harassment and intimidation of President Trump's cabinet members in a rally. She said, "If you see anybody from that cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. Tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere!" Many on the Right viewed this statement as an incitement of violence against officials from the Trump administration.

Waters has also been accused of promoting and supporting riots in Los Angeles after the Rodney King trial in 1992. In a 2018 interview with HuffPost, she referred to the riots as a "defining moment in the way that Black people resisted." She also said, "These were people who had been basically forgotten... It was like people were saying, 'We're here. You can't do this to us.'"

In 2022, Waters announced her intention to "take the gloves off" and "fight dirty" to take down President Trump. She told the New York Times, "Trump was just so outrageous, so disrespectful, such a bully and dangerous for this country, I decided, 'You know what? I'm taking the gloves off and I'm going to step out.'" Waters has been one of the most vocal critics of Trump during his presidency and has called for his impeachment.

In 2023, Waters again made controversial statements following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. She called on protestors to break the law, saying, "To hell with the Supreme Court! We will defy them!... They ain't seen nothing yet, women are going to control their bodies no matter how they try to stop them."

Waters' support for political violence

Maxine Waters has been accused of inciting violence and rioting against the United States on several occasions. In 1992, she described the Los Angeles riots, which resulted in 63 deaths, as a rebellion, saying:

> "If you call it a riot it sounds like it was just a bunch of crazy people who went out and did bad things for no reason. I maintain it was somewhat understandable, if not acceptable."

In 2007, she told an anti-Iraq war rally:

> "My name is Maxine Waters and I am not afraid of George Bush. My name is Maxine Waters and I’m not intimidated by Dick Cheney. My name is Maxine Waters and I have to get rid of Rumsfeld."

In 2017, she told a crowd at an LGBTQ Youth Gala:

> "With this kind of inspiration, I will go and take Trump out tonight."

In 2018, she urged attendees at a rally in Los Angeles to harass members of the Trump administration:

> "If you see anybody from [Trump's] cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd, and you push back on them, and you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere."

In 2021, she told demonstrators in Minnesota that they should "get more confrontational" if Derek Chauvin was acquitted:

> "We've got to stay on the street, and we've got to get more active, we've got to get more confrontational. We've got to make sure that they know that we mean business."

Waters has denied that her comments were intended to incite violence, saying that she was calling for nonviolent protest and action. She has also clarified that when she said to "get more confrontational", she was referring to "confronting the justice system" and "speaking up".

Waters' ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan

Maxine Waters, a member of the Democratic Party, has been accused of having ties to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Farrakhan is a known anti-semite who has made numerous controversial statements, including calling Jews "Satanic" and claiming that white people "deserve to die". He also believes that white people are inherently inferior to black people and has criticised inter-racial marriage.

In early 2018, Waters was among several members of Congress that the Republican Jewish Coalition called on to resign due to their connections with Farrakhan. Twenty-one members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Waters, were present at a 2005 meeting with Farrakhan and refused to condemn him. Waters has also been accused of attending a Nation of Islam convention where Farrakhan defended Palestinian suicide bombers.

Waters has been described as having long embraced Farrakhan and refused to denounce him, even as other members of the Congressional Black Caucus who met with Farrakhan in 2005 eventually did. Her appearance at the Nation of Islam convention has been characterised as shameless and hypocritical, given her accusations of racism against political rivals.

Waters' ethics violations

Maxine Waters, a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives, has been charged with violating ethics rules. She is accused of using her influence to benefit a bank, OneUnited, in which her husband had substantial stock holdings.

Waters, who has served as the US representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991, arranged a meeting between Treasury Department officials and representatives of the National Bankers Association in 2008. At the meeting, they discussed only OneUnited, a bank that was on the brink of failure. Waters's husband was a former board member of the bank and held stock worth between $500,000 and $1 million.

The House Ethics Committee charged Waters with three counts of breaking the body's ethics rules. The committee's report stated that Waters's staff had improperly sought US Treasury Department aid for the bank during the 2008 financial crisis. It also said that Waters's chief of staff, Mikael Moore, who is also her grandson, helped the bank apply for and obtain federal aid under a 2008 US bank bailout program.

These actions violated rules barring congressmen from using their influence for personal gain. Waters denied violating House ethics rules and her lawyers stated that she had disclosed her financial interest in the bank. In September 2012, the House Ethics Committee cleared Waters of all ethics charges after a nearly three-year investigation.

Waters' family profiting from her connections

Maxine Waters, the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district, has been accused of profiting from her connections through her family members. Waters, a member of the Democratic Party, has served in the House of Representatives since 1991.

According to reports, Waters's family members, including her daughter, Karen Waters, and her son, Edward Waters, have profited from doing business with companies, candidates, and causes that Waters has supported or helped. In 2004, the Los Angeles Times reported that Waters's relatives had made over $1 million in the preceding eight years through these dealings.

Waters's daughter, Karen, runs a public relations firm called Progressive Connections, which has been paid to direct the production and distribution of a "slate mailer" or sample ballot sent to voters in South Central Los Angeles. This mailer includes Waters's personal endorsements and photos, and candidates pay to be included on it. Karen Waters's firm has been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for this work, with the fees coming from the candidates and issue groups seeking Waters's endorsement.

In addition, Waters's son, Edward, has also received payments from the Waters campaign for his work on the mailer. Furthermore, Waters's husband, Sidney Williams, has worked for a municipal bond company, Siebert Brandford Shank and Co., and has been paid for consulting work with politicians whom his wife supports.

While Waters has denied any wrongdoing and insists that her family's business dealings are separate from her political activities, watchdog groups and political consultants have expressed concern that these practices border on "pay-to-play" schemes, where politicians cash in on their endorsements and influence.

Frequently asked questions