California Rep. Waters may face fall ethics trial WASHINGTON – A second House Democrat, Rep. Maxine Waters of California, could face an ethics trial this fall, further complicating the election outlook for the party as it battles to retain its majority. People familiar with the investigation, who were not authorized to be quoted about charges before they are made public, say the allegations could be announced next week. The House ethics committee declined Friday to make any public statement on the matter. Waters, 71, has been under investigation for a possible conflict of interest involving a bank that was seeking federal aid. Her husband owned stock in the bank and had served on its board. New York Democrat Rep. Charles Rangel also faces an ethics trial this fall on charges that include failure to disclose assets and income, nonpayment of taxes and doing legislative favors for donors to a college center named after him. Both Waters and Rangel are prominent members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the trials would be an embarrassment for the group. Dual ethics trials would also be a major political liability for Democrats, forcing them to defend their party's ethical conduct while trying to hold on to their House majority. While Rangel is a former chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, Waters is a prominent member of the House Financial Services Committee. Waters came under scrutiny after former Treasury Department officials said she helped arrange a meeting between regulators and executives at Boston-based OneUnited Bank without mentioning her husband's financial ties to the institution. Her husband, Sidney Williams, held at least $250,000 in the bank's stock and previously had served on its board. Waters' spokesman has said Williams was no longer on the board when the meeting was arranged. Waters has said the National Bankers Association, a trade group, requested the meeting. She defended her role in assisting minority-owned banks in the midst of the nation's financial meltdown and dismissed suggestions she used her influence to steer government aid to the bank. "I am confident that as the investigation moves forward the panel will discover that there are no facts to support allegations that I have acted improperly," Waters said in a prior statement. The committee unanimously voted to establish an investigative subcommittee to gather evidence and determine whether Waters violated standards of conduct. Waters, like Rangel, could settle her case by arranging a plea bargain with the ethics committee. So far she has decided instead to fight.
Yes. A Democratic Congress is charging Democratic Congresspeople with ethics violations instead of just covering it all up. It's exactly what they meant.
Lets sit back and see what type of punishment actually gets handed down. Obama is already greasing the skids with his "end his career with dignity" comments....rumors are its going to only be a hand slap. These people are slimeballs and use their power to userp laws with no fear of punishment. If you or I tried the same thing we would be put in federal prison. I fear that you are so blinded by your politics you don't even see the forest despite the trees. Again its not a dem vs repub thing, its a republic vs democracy thing...
Although it pains my soul, , I agree with you on this. I wish the Republicans would be as forthcoming in cleaning their own stable. However, if one or both are found guilty, the severity or mildness of the punishment(s) will be interesting to ponder, as OddsOn points out.
OddsOn could have put this in the other thread he started about corruption, the one that had both Dem and Repub examples.
Yes, let's wait and see. They should get significant penalties. Funny you say this, but your whole criticism is based on random rumors (that it will only be a handslap). I would say forced retirement would be a pretty good example of draining the swamp. You're the one blinded by politics based on the complete collection of your posts here.
It sounded like Obama's comment meant he should resign rather than drag it out. Anyway what basis is there to these rumors you are hearing and where are they coming from? How is he blinded by politics? It sounds like he is basically calling for the samething that you are. That justice be done in these cases.
The reason I made the "blinded by politics" statement is the constant slamming when I post articles against democrats, even though I call out republicans over this type of stuff as well.
You get slammed because of your double standards, not because of politics. You seem to hold a ridiculously high standard for Democrats where for Republicans the standard is much lower. Rumors and innuendo seem to be enough for you to indict a sitting President for colluding to keep a Democrat out of jail, yet you demand videotaped "proof" that a civil rights leader was called a n***** when on his way to vote for the HCR bill. Blinded by politics is an appropriate description here... ...for you.
This sounds overly defensive on your part. It seems like in this thread people are pretty much agreeing with you that justice need to be done in this issue even though Rangel and Waters are Democrats.
It would be great not to hear her moronic comments as she is on the financial services committee. I don't know anything about ethical violations but she is so typical as the type of person that will scream about discriminatory practices of banks and then call it predatory lending when you give sub-prime people money! I'm sure if we want America to have the financial strength of Compton we should have more people like this in congress.
This comment is a little puzzling. Banks can be discriminatory and also be guilty of predatory lending. Or do you believe that only minorities need sub prime lending? I'm not trying to defend Maxine Waters, but I'm confused about what you are talking about here.
