I've always admired Maxine Waters. She voted with courage and common sense against the invasion of Iraq. She was also co-sponsor of a House resolution to impeach Dick Cheney for "making allegedly false statements about the war." She has worked hard for the downtrodden in California. She is a ten term congresswoman and one of the most powerful members of the House. Like all powerful leaders, she has her supporters and detractors. She's now under scrutiny now for possible ethics violations.
Waters is under investigation for arranging a meeting between the federal regulators and executives of a bank in which her husband owns $250,000.00 in stock. The investigation involves conflict of interest as to whether she helped steer government aid to the bank while she was a member of the Financial Services Committee.
Not many details have been released. I read the NY Times and HuffPost articles this morning. I can't really glean much from either except to say if she did this, it was pretty darn stupid and maybe that's why I find it harder to believe than the charges against Charlie Rangel who has always seemed a grandstanding, loud-mouthed, showy member of the rank & file. Perhaps he genuinely feels for his constituents but his demeanor and the controversy he continues to inspire belies it. Maxine, on the other hand, has always appeared caught up by the needs of her constituents as well as the greater good. Perhaps this is my wishful thinking but...
...say it ain't so.
Maxine Waters from blackpast.com
