Maxine Waters

After serving in the California State Assembly, Maxine Waters (born 1938) was elected by Californians to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990. As a member of Congress she fought for legislation promoting aid to poor and minority neighborhoods in American cities and combating apartheid in South Africa.

"I f you believe in something, you must be prepared to fight. To argue. To persuade. To introduce legislation again and again and again, " stated Maxine Waters in Essence. During the fourteen years that she served in the California State Assembly, Waters earned a reputation as a both a fighter and the most powerful black woman in politics. In 1984 M. Carl Holman, head of the National Urban League, was quoted in Ebony as saying that Waters was "one of the brightest, ablest and most effective legislators without regard to race or sex that I've ever seen." After her 1990 election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Waters moved to Washington ready to continue what she had done in California - champion black issues. In an Essence article entitled "Woman of the House, " Waters reiterated her belief that "too many Black politicians want to be in the mainstream….My power comes from the fact that I am ready to talk about Black people."

Born in 1938, Waters was one of thirteen children in a poor family living in a St. Louis housing project. She credits her childhood for what she is today - competitive, outspoken, and determined. "Just getting heard in a family that size is difficult, " she explained in Ebony. Waters's mother, Velma Moore Carr, struggled to support her family by working intermittently at a series of low-paying jobs augmented by welfare. Waters described her mother in Ebony as "a strong woman, a survivor, " whose determination served as an inspiration to her.

Although Waters's high school yearbook had predicted that one day she would be the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Waters found that possibility to be extremely remote. After graduating from high school, she married and had two children. In 1960 the family moved to Los Angeles, where Waters worked at a few menial jobs before taking an opportunity to organize a Head Start program in the suburb of Watts. " Head Start made a significant difference in my life, " Waters stated in Essence. "It helped me see how I could help people, and it helped steer me into politics."

In the late 1960s she entered California State University at Los Angeles to study sociology. By the time she earned her degree, she was divorced and raising her children alone. Waters's background is frequently cited to explain why she fights so passionately for such issues as education and affirmative action. She explained in Essence: "I just want to make life better for some people. Everybody deserves a good quality of life. There is too great a divide between the haves and the have-nots, and I believe I can do something to change that."

Entered Politics

Waters got her start in politics as the chief deputy to Los Angeles city councilman David Cunningham. She managed Councilman Cunningham's campaigns and was actively involved in the campaigns of Senator Alan Cranston and Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley. She gained a reputation for superb legislative ability and determination. Although her move into state politics was natural, it was also a rough transition. Because some of her colleagues regarded her as a maverick, Waters found all sorts of roadblocks when she arrived at the California State Assembly. Waters told Ebony that the early difficulties she had were a result of "this perception they had of the Black woman coming from Los Angeles who needed to be taught a lesson."

The first thing Waters did was to take on women's issues and travel throughout California, organizing and talking to women who had never before heard from a legislator. Waters believes that this experience helped to shape her leadership ability. The Speaker of the Assembly, Willie Brown, Jr., provided support and guidance as Waters learned the system.

Waters was instrumental in the formation of the National Political Congress of Black Women in August of 1984. Born of the frustration of black women leaders, the organization emphasized mainstream electoral politics as a way to focus on what they felt were unique and neglected problems facing women. The organization's goal was to encourage every black woman in America to become involved in political activity. "It is important that Black women understand that we can seek leadership roles and not lose our identity, " proclaimed Waters in Essence. "We don't have to do a song and dance because we're afraid we might alienate others. I'm not interested in making everyone comfortable - some people need to be made uncomfortable. Black women need to feel a sense of our own power."

Sponsored Minority Legislation

While a member of the California State Assembly, Waters introduced and passed legislation on minority and women's tenants' rights and on limits on police strip searches. Her greatest challenge, however, was maintaining patience throughout the eight years it took her to pass legislation divesting California state pension funds from companies doing business with South Africa. She reintroduced the bill six times before it passed in September 1986, demonstrating the perseverance that she feels is necessary for success in politics.

Waters also succeeded in passing an affirmative action bill that required California to set aside 15% of all state contracts for companies owned by members of minority groups and 5% for companies owned by women. The bill was acclaimed as landmark legislation because it was the first major statewide bill to mandate such programs. Another of Waters's pieces of legislation resulted in the creation of the nation's first statewide Child Abuse Prevention Program. In 1984 Waters's accomplishments were acknowledged when she was selected to chair the California State Assembly's Democratic Caucus, the first woman to ever hold this post.

Worked on Jesse Jackson's Campaigns

Waters was Jesse Jackson's most vocal backer in both the 1984 and 1988 presidential races and was his campaign manager in the latter. When presidential candidate Michael Dukakis chose Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen instead of Jackson as his vice presidential running mate, Waters appeared on ABC's Nightline declaring that Jackson would break off talks with the Dukakis campaign.

In an article for the Nation, Waters wrote: "That Jackson speaks for large numbers of others as well is one indication that blacks serve as a barometer for the nation… . The Democrats cannot win the presidency without us and without Jackson and others who will work for the party." In the same article, Waters further addressed what she considered the Democratic party's lack of commitment to black issues. She wrote of the hopelessness of young black people crowded into inner-city ghettos, not only in Los Angeles but across the nation, and of the "lethal infestation of drugs" in such communities. Waters noted: "An elementary lesson in life is that if people cannot survive in one way they will try another. In an affluent society in which only dollars appear to matter, some young people will find drug-pushing a seductive (or desperate) alternative to low-paying jobs."

Waters advocated breaking away from the Democratic party and possibly creating a third party that would be responsive to the concerns of blacks and other people of color. In the Nation she commented: "When I look at what is currently happening to the masses of black people, to America's poor in general and the entire nation, I am angry and frustrated. But we cannot yield to feelings of helplessness; we must transform anger and frustration into bold and direct action… . As for the Democratic Party, it must prove itself in these critical times or stand, like the Republicans, as just another instrument for betrayal and suppression of the people."

"That's the thing about Waters, " remarked Julianne Malveaux in Essence. "She pushes her causes openly. She raises her voice while everyone else whispers. She wears red when everyone else wears gray. She makes a difference." That Waters has made a difference is evidenced by such programs as Project Build, which she established in her district to provide educational and job training services for residents in six Watts housing projects. Late in 1990 the Maxine Waters Vocational Educational Center was under construction in South Central Los Angeles, a symbol of hope in an area of boarded-up buildings and vacant lots.

When Waters was elected to Congress in 1990 she was one of five new African American representatives. She was appointed to the House Banking, Finance and Urban Development and the veteran Affairs Committees but vowed to remain an activist in civil rights, women's issues, and peace. She explained: "Activists don't shut down when they get to Congress, they try to be more activist." On gender issues she remained adamant in inspiring the "average" woman to succeed. "People who come from backgrounds like mine are not supposed to serve in the U.S. Congress. When a little girl who came out of poverty in St. Louis has an opportunity to serve in Congress, it is like thumbing your nose at the status quo."

Waters exploded onto the national scene during the Los Angeles fires, beatings, and rioting which followed the verdict of the policemen in the Rodney King beating. Much of the destruction and mayhem was in Waters's district and she quickly returned home to lend a helping hand and take advantage of the media spotlight by excoriating the urban policies of President Bush and former President Reagan. She was also in turn excoriated for defending the rioters, looters, and arsonists when she remarked on national television: "Riot is the voice of the unheard." In a scathing editorial the conservative National Review claimed she was trying to shift the blame for the riots from the rioters to everybody and everything else and in the process was giving tacit permission to riot again.

As promised, Waters continued her form of activism from Washington D.C. In 1992 she introduced a bill which would have provided $10 billion to fight urban decay. In defending her proposed legislation she claimed that America's cities deserve the same consideration as Russia and Israel, both recipients of massive U.S. foreign aid. Waters also called for job training for black males aged 17 to 30, increased African American ownership of small businesses, and tougher anti-discrimination banking laws. In 1994 she joined a coalition against violent and sexually explicit song lyrics and came out against so-called "gangsta rap." She told Jet that little was being done to curb music's obscenities and vulgarities. But ever the street populist, Waters pointed the finger of blame at industry executives for not exercising more control over their recording artists and said it was "…foolhardy to single out rap artists as instigators of violence among young people."

In 1996, Waters was elected to chair the Congressional Black Caucus. Following that, she was involved in pushing for further investigation of reports that the CIA was involved in a plan to distribute drugs to African Americans in Los Angeles in the early 1980s.

Further Reading

Black Enterprise, November 1981; January 1985; August 1985; December 1988; January 1989; April 1991; December 1991.

Ebony, August 1984; January 1991.

Essence, March 1984; May 1985; November 1990.

Glamour, January 1991.

Jet, April 6, 1987; October 22, 1990; December 9, 1991.

Los Angeles Times, September 8, 1989; February 1, 1990; March 17, 1990; March 20, 1990; October 1, 1990; May 12, 1991; March 4, 1997.

Maclean's, November 1, 1982.

Mother Jones, February 1984.

Ms., January-February 1991.

Nation, July 24, 1989.

Time, August 22, 1983.

Washington Post, February 19, 1991; March 15, 1991; March 20, 1991.

politician

Personal Information

Born Maxine Carr, August 15, 1938, in St. Louis, MO; daughter of Remus and Velma (Moore) Carr; married husband, Edward (divorced, 1972); married Sidney Williams, July 23, 1977; children: (first marriage) Edward, Karen.
Education: California State University, Los Angeles, B.A.
Politics: Democrat.

Career

Teacher, Head Start program; member, California State Assembly, 1976-1990; U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, Democratic congresswoman from California, 1990--. Member of Democratic National Committee; delegate to Democratic National Convention, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, and 1988; Democratic Caucus chair, 1984; member of Rules Committee, 1984; member of National Advisory Committee of Women, 1978--.

Life's Work

"If you believe in something, you must be prepared to fight. To argue. To persuade. To introduce legislation again and again and again," stated Maxine Waters in Essence. During the fourteen years that she served in the California State Assembly, Waters earned a reputation as a both a fighter and the most powerful black woman in politics. In 1984 M. Carl Holman, head of the National Urban League, was quoted in Ebony as saying that Waters was "one of the brightest, ablest and most effective legislators without regard to race or sex that I've ever seen." After her 1990 election to the U.S. House of Representatives, Waters moved to Washington ready to continue what she had done in California--champion black issues. In an Essence article entitled "Woman of the House," Waters reiterated her belief that "too many Black politicians want to be in the mainstream.... My power comes from the fact that I am ready to talk about Black people."

Born in 1938, Waters was one of thirteen children in a poor family living in a St. Louis housing project. She credits her childhood for what she is today--competitive, outspoken, and determined. "Just getting heard in a family that size is difficult," she explained in Ebony. Waters's mother, Velma Moore Carr, struggled to support her family by working intermittently at a series of low-paying jobs augmented by welfare. Waters described her mother in Ebony as "a strong woman, a survivor," whose determination served as an inspiration to her.

Although Waters's high school yearbook had predicted that one day she would be the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Waters found that possibility to be extremely remote. After graduating from high school, she married and had two children. In 1960 the family moved to Los Angeles, where Waters worked at a few menial jobs before taking an opportunity to organize a Head Start program in the suburb of Watts. "Head Start made a significant difference in my life," Waters stated in Essence. "It helped me see how I could help people, and it helped steer me into politics."

In the late 1960s she entered California State University at Los Angeles to study sociology. By the time she earned her degree, she was divorced and raising her children alone. Waters's background is frequently cited to explain why she fights so passionately for such issues as education and affirmative action. She explained in Essence: "I just want to make life better for some people. Everybody deserves a good quality of life. There is too great a divide between the haves and the have-nots, and I believe I can do something to change that."

Waters got her start in politics as the chief deputy to Los Angeles city councilman David Cunningham. She managed Councilman Cunningham's campaigns and was actively involved in the campaigns of Senator Alan Cranston and Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley. She gained a reputation for superb legislative ability and determination. Although her move into state politics was natural, it was also a rough transition. Because some of her colleagues regarded her as a maverick, Waters found all sorts of roadblocks when she arrived at the California State Assembly. Waters told Ebony that the early difficulties she had were a result of "this perception they had of the Black woman coming from Los Angeles who needed to be taught a lesson."

The first thing Waters did was to take on women's issues and travel throughout California, organizing and talking to women who had never before heard from a legislator. Waters believes that this experience helped to shape her leadership ability. The Speaker of the Assembly, Willie Brown, Jr., provided support and guidance as Waters learned the system.

Waters was instrumental in the formation of the National Political Congress of Black Women in August of 1984. Born of the frustration of black women leaders, the organization emphasized mainstream electoral politics as a way to focus on what they felt were unique and neglected problems facing women. The organization's goal was to encourage every black woman in America to become involved in political activity. "It is important that Black women understand that we can seek leadership roles and not lose our identity," proclaimed Waters in Essence. "We don't have to do a song and dance because we're afraid we might alienate others. I'm not interested in making everyone comfortable--some people need to be made uncomfortable. Black women need to feel a sense of our own power."

While a member of the California State Assembly, Waters introduced and passed legislation on minority and women's tenants' rights and on limits on police strip searches. Her greatest challenge, however, was maintaining patience throughout the eight years it took her to pass legislation divesting California state pension funds from companies doing business with South Africa. She reintroduced the bill six times before it passed in September 1986, demonstrating the perseverance that she feels is necessary for success in politics.

Waters also succeeded in passing an affirmative action bill that required California to set aside 15% of all state contracts for companies owned by members of minority groups and 5% for companies owned by women. The bill was acclaimed as landmark legislation because it was the first major statewide bill to mandate such programs. Another of Waters's pieces of legislation resulted in the creation of the nation's first statewide Child Abuse Prevention Program. In 1984 Waters's accomplishments were acknowledged when she was selected to chair the California State Assembly's Democratic Caucus, the first woman to ever hold this post.

Waters was Jesse Jackson's most vocal backer in both the 1984 and 1988 presidential races and was his campaign manager in the latter. When presidential candidate Michael Dukakis chose Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen instead of Jackson as his vice presidential running mate, Waters appeared on ABC's Nightline declaring that Jackson would break off talks with the Dukakis campaign.

In an article for the Nation, Waters wrote: "That Jackson speaks for large numbers of others as well is one indication that blacks serve as a barometer for the nation.... The Democrats cannot win the presidency without us and without Jackson and others who will work for the party." In the same article, Waters further addressed what she considered the Democratic party's lack of commitment to black issues. She wrote of the hopelessness of young black people crowded into inner-city ghettos, not only in Los Angeles but across the nation, and of the "lethal infestation of drugs" in such communities. Waters noted: "An elementary lesson in life is that if people cannot survive in one way they will try another. In an affluent society in which only dollars appear to matter, some young people will find drug-pushing a seductive (or desperate) alternative to low-paying jobs."

Waters advocated breaking away from the Democratic party and possibly creating a third party that would be responsive to the concerns of blacks and other people of color. In the Nation she commented: "When I look at what is currently happening to the masses of black people, to America's poor in general and the entire nation, I am angry and frustrated. But we cannot yield to feelings of helplessness; we must transform anger and frustration into bold and direct action.... As for the Democratic Party, it must prove itself in these critical times or stand, like the Republicans, as just another instrument for betrayal and suppression of the people."

"That's the thing about Waters," remarked Julianne Malveaux in Essence. "She pushes her causes openly. She raises her voice while everyone else whispers. She wears red when everyone else wears gray. She makes a difference." That Waters has made a difference is evidenced by such programs as Project Build, which she established in her district to provide educational and job training services for residents in six Watts housing projects. Late in 1990 the Maxine Waters Vocational Educational Center was under construction in South Central Los Angeles, a symbol of hope in an area of boarded-up buildings and vacant lots. And in the aftermath of the racially motivated riots that rocked the city in the spring of 1992, Waters was among the first officials on the scene, providing food for the hungry Watts residents and demanding that the Department of Water and Power restore service to the area.

In Washington Waters continues her fight for black interests with the same forcefulness and skill she demonstrated in California. She sees herself as an inspiration to average women, letting them know that if she can succeed, so can they. "People who come from backgrounds like mine are not supposed to serve in the U.S. Congress," she asserted in Essence. "When a little girl who came out of poverty in St. Louis has an opportunity to serve in Congress, it is like thumbing your nose at the status quo." From all indications, Waters will be challenging the status quo in Congress for as long as she wants.

Awards

Honorary doctorates from Spelman College and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University; named one of the outstanding leaders at the International Women's Year Conference in Houston.

Further Reading

Sources

• Black Enterprise, November 1981; January 1985; August 1985; December 1988; January 1989; April 1991; December 1991.
• Ebony, August 1984; January 1991.
• Essence, March 1984; May 1985; November 1990.
• Glamour, January 1991.
• Jet, April 6, 1987; October 22, 1990; December 9, 1991.
• Los Angeles Times, September 8, 1989; February 1, 1990; March 17, 1990; March 20, 1990; October 1, 1990; May 12, 1991.
• Maclean's, November 1, 1982.
• Mother Jones , February 1984.
• Ms., January-February 1991.
• Nation, July 24, 1989.
• People, May 18, 1992.
• Time, August 22, 1983.
• Washington Post, February 19, 1991; March 15, 1991; March 20, 1991.

— Debra G. Darnell

Maxine Waters
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 35th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 1991
Preceded by	Augustus Hawkins
Member of the California State Assembly
In office 1977 – 1991
Born	August 15, 1938 (1938-08-15) (age 71) St. Louis, Missouri
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Sidney Williams
Residence	Los Angeles, California
Alma mater	California State University, Los Angeles
Occupation	Politician, Teacher
Religion	Non-denominational Protestant

Maxine Waters (born Maxine Moore Carr on August 15, 1938) is a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1991, representing California's 35th congressional district (map). She resides in the Hancock Park area of Los Angeles, which is approximately six miles west of downtown. She is the most senior of the twelve African American women currently serving in the United States Congress.

Her husband, Sidney Williams played professional football in the NFL^[1] and is a former U.S. Ambassador to the Bahamas.

Contents 1 Background 2 Political career 3 Policy positions 3.1 Iraq War 3.2 Nationalizing the United States' petroleum industry 3.3 The Stop VULTURE Funds Act 4 Controversies 4.1 CREW "Most Corrupt" list 4.2 Opposed KTLA license renewal 4.3 Los Angeles riots of 1992 4.4 Involvement with OneUnited Bank 4.5 Confrontation with Dave Obey 5 Committee assignments 5.1 Caucus memberships 5.2 Other accomplishments 6 References 7 External links

Background

Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Waters graduated from Vashon High School in St. Louis and attended Los Angeles State College (now California State University, Los Angeles). Prior to her entry into politics, she was a teacher and a volunteer coordinator in the Head Start program.

Political career

Waters entered the California State Assembly in 1976. While in the assembly she worked for divestment of state pension funds from any businesses active in South Africa, a country then operating under the racist policy of apartheid. Waters ultimately helped frame successful legislation within the guidelines of the divestment campaign's Sullivan Principles.^[2] Waters eventually ascended to the position of Democratic Caucus Chair for the Assembly.^[3]

Upon the retirement of Augustus F. Hawkins in 1990, Waters was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for California's 29th congressional district with over 79% of the popular vote; she has been re-elected each time (now in the California's 35th congressional district), with at least 70% of the popular vote. (Significant parts of the pre-1990 29th California Congressional District were folded into the newly defined 35th California Congressional District after California gained seven additional seats in the House following the 1990 United States Census.)

Following a 1996 San Jose Mercury article alleging the complicity of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the Los Angeles crack epidemic of the 1980s, Waters called for an investigation into the matter. In her request, Waters asked whether "U.S.-government paid or organized operatives smuggled, transported and sold it to American citizens."^[4] The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced it had failed to find any evidence to support the original story.^[5] The Los Angeles Times also concluded after its own extensive investigation that the allegations were not supported by evidence.^[6] The author of the original story was eventually transferred to a different beat and removed from investigative reporting.^[7] Following these post-publication investigations, Waters read into the Congressional Record a memorandum of understanding in which former President Ronald Reagan's CIA director rejected any duty by the CIA to report illegal narcotics trafficking to the Department of Justice.^[8][9]

As a Democratic representative in Congress, Waters was a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. She endorsed Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton for the party's nomination in late January 2008, granting the New York Senator nationally-recognized support that some suggested would "make big waves."^[10][11] Subsequently, however, Waters switched her endorsement to Sen. Barack Obama, by then insurmountably ahead in the pledged delegate count, on the final day of primary voting.^[12][13]

Policy positions

Iraq War

Waters voted against the Iraq War Resolution, the 2002 resolution that funded and granted Congressional approval to possible military action against the regime of Saddam Hussein.^[14] She has remained a consistent critic of the subsequent war. Waters asserted in 2007 that President George W. Bush was trying to "set [Congress] up" by continually requesting funds for an "occupation" that is "draining" the country of capital, soldier's lives, and other resources. In particular, she argued that the very economic resources being "wasted" in Iraq were those that might provide universal health care or fully fund President Bush's own "No Child Left Behind" education bill. Additionally, Waters, representing a congressional district whose median income falls far below the national average, argued that patriotism alone had not been the sole driving force for those U.S. service personnel serving in Iraq. Rather, "many of them needed jobs, they needed resources, they needed money, so they're there."^[15] In a subsequent floor speech, Waters told her colleagues that Congress, lacking the votes to override the "inevitable Bush veto on any Iraq-related legislation," needed to "better [challenge] the administration's false rhetoric about the Iraq war" and "educate our constituents [about] the connection between the problems in Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran with the problems we have created in Iraq."^[16] A few months prior to these speeches Waters became a cosponsor of the House resolution to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney for making allegedly "false statements" about the war.^[17]

Nationalizing the United States' petroleum industry

In May 2008, Waters told Shell Oil President John Hofmeister at the House Judiciary Committee's Task Force on Competition Policy and Antitrust law, that if he did not guarantee reduced gasoline prices in exchange for Congress allowing the oil industry to drill where it wished, she would favor nationalizing American petroleum companies. In a widely reported exchange, she stated: "Guess what this liberal will be all about, this liberal will be all about socializing... taking over and the government running all of your companies."^[18]

The Stop VULTURE Funds Act

In August 2008, Waters introduced HR 6796, or the "Stop Very Unscrupulous Loan Transfers from Underprivileged countries from Rich Exploitive Funds Act," also known as the Stop VULTURE Funds Act. This would limit the ability of investors in sovereign debt to use U.S. courts to enforce those instruments against a defaulting country. The bill, which died in committee, was evidently inspired by litigation in the late 1990s and early years of the new century brought by Elliot Associates against the Republic of Peru. ^[19]

Controversies

CREW "Most Corrupt" list

In its 2009 report, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) named Waters one of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress. She was also included in their 2005 and 2006 reports.^[20]

Opposed KTLA license renewal

After the Los Angeles Times published allegations of nepotism against her and an expose of the King Drew Medical Center, Waters asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to deny a waiver of the crossownership ban, and hence license renewal, for KTLA-TV, a station the newspaper owned. Claiming that "The Los Angeles Times has had an inordinate effect on public opinion and has used it to harm the local community in specific instances," Waters requested that the FCC force the paper to either sell its station or risk losing that station's broadcast rights.^[21] Such challenges, according to Broadcasting & Cable, "raise the specter of costly legal battles to defend station holdings.... At a minimum, defending against one would cost tens of thousands of dollars in lawyers' fees and probably delay license renewal about three months."^[22] Waters' petition was ultimately unsuccessful; the station's license next expires in 2014.^[23]

Los Angeles riots of 1992

During the Los Angeles riots of 1992, Waters appeared on television as a commentator. Waters said "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. So I call it a rebellion."^[24]

Involvement with OneUnited Bank

Waters' husband is a stockholder and former director of OneUnited Bank, and the bank's executives were major contributors to her campaigns. In September 2008, Waters arranged meetings between U.S. Treasury Department officials and OneUnited Bank, so that the bank could plead for federal cash. It had been heavily invested in Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and its capital was "all but wiped out" after the U.S. government took them over. The bank did secure $12 million in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) money.^[25][26] The matter is currently being investigated by the House Ethics Committee.^[27]

Confrontation with Dave Obey

On June 25, 2009, Waters got into a fight on the House floor with fellow Democratic Congressman and Appropriations Committee Chairman Dave Obey of Wisconsin. After the House floor had largely cleared following a series of votes, Waters and Obey split apart from a heated conversation about an earmark requested by Waters for a public school employment training center in Los Angeles that was named after herself. Obey rejected the earmark as violating policies against so-called "monuments to me." Waters revised her request to go to the school district's whole adult employment training program, so the district could decide whether the money would go to the school named after herself. Nonetheless, Obey let it be known that the earmark would be denied. She approached him and complained, shouting, "You’re out of line!" while walking down toward the well in the House chambers. Obey shouted back, "You’re out of line!" before turning and walking away, but stopped, turned back toward Waters, and shouted, "I'm not going to approve that earmark!" He again turned away while Waters huddled with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and was overheard saying, "He touched me first." before being escorted into the cloakroom. Obey went to talk with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer when Waters briefly returned again, telling her colleagues, "He touched me." before returning to the cloakroom. An aide to Waters said that Obey had pushed her while Obey's spokesperson, Ellis Brachman, placed the blame on Waters for escalating the situation.^[28]

Citizens Against Government Waste named her the June 2009 Porker of the Month due to her intention to obtain an earmark for the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center. ^[29]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
  • Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity (Chairwoman)
  • Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
  • Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law

Caucus memberships

• Chief Deputy Whip
• Founding member and Chair of the Out of Iraq Caucus
• Member of Congressional Progressive Caucus
• Member of Congressional Black Caucus (CBC); past chair of CBC (105th United States Congress)

Other accomplishments

• Maxine Waters Preparation Center in Watts, California - named after her while she was a member of the California Assembly
• Co-founder of Black Women’s Forum
• Founder of Project Build

References

1. ^ http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/28/bruce-editing-rep-maxine-waters-congress-should-yank-nfls-an/
2. ^ French, Howard W. (February 9, 1987). "SLASH TIES, APARTHEID FOES URGE". New York Times: p. D1. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE1D6143AF93AA35751C0A961948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2009-03-13. "Maxine Waters, a member of the California Assembly who helped frame her state's pension fund divestment bill, has promised to work overtime to insure that our legislation reflects these guidelines and continues to target any and all U.S. companies that are doing business in or with South Africa." 
3. ^ "About Congresswoman Maxine Waters : Representing the 35th District of California". http://www.house.gov/waters/bio/. Retrieved 2009-03-13. "During 14 years in the California State Assembly, she rose to the powerful position of Democratic Caucus Chair. She was responsible for some of the boldest legislation California has ever seen: the largest divestment of state pension funds from South Africa; landmark affirmative action legislation; the nation’s first statewide Child Abuse Prevention Training Program; the prohibition of police strip searches for nonviolent misdemeanors; and the introduction of the nation’s first plant closure law."  (Congressman's official web site)
4. ^ Waters date=August 30, 1996, Maxine. "Drugs". The Narco News Bulletin. http://www.narconews.com/darkalliance/drugs/library/32.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-13. "What those articles traced, among other things, is the long-term relationship between Norwin Meneses, a Nicaraguan drug trafficker, Danilo Blandon, a Nicaraguan businessperson connected to the Contra rebels as well as a drug trader, and Ricky Ross, an American who worked with Blandon distributing crack cocaine in this country. These individuals represent a much broader and more troubling relationship between U.S. intelligence and security policy, drug smuggling, and the spread of crack cocaine into the United States.]] Letter to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno" 
5. ^ Cockburn, Alexander; Jeffrey St Clair (October 1, 1999). Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs and the Press. Verso. ISBN 1-85984-258-5. 
6. ^ CIA-Contra-Crack Cocaine Controversy
7. ^ "Are You Sure You Want to Ruin Your Career?"
8. ^ Waters, Maxine (07 May 1998). "Casey". Congressional Record?. California State University Northridge. pp. H2970–H2978. Archived from the original on Sep 10, 2004. http://web.archive.org/web/20040910214409/http://www.csun.edu/coms/ben/news/cia/7May98/waters2.html. Retrieved 2009-03-14. 
9. ^ Casey
10. ^ "The endorsements that would make huge waves". The Hill (newspaper). 12/06/07. http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/the-endorsements-that-would-make-huge-waves-2007-12-06.html. Retrieved 009-03-13. "Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.). The outspoken anti-war liberal, who campaigned for Ned Lamont (D) over Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) last year, has not picked a favorite." 
11. ^ Bombardieri, Marcella (January 29, 2008). "Maxine Waters for Clinton - 2008 Presidential Campaign Blog - Political Intelligence". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/01/maxine_waters_f.html. Retrieved 2009-03-14. 
12. ^ California 2008 presidential primary and superdelegates - Congresspedia
13. ^ The Superdelegate Tally - The Caucus - Politics - New York Times Blog
14. ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 455, H J RES 114 To Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. 10-Oct-2002. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll455.xml. Retrieved 2009-03-14. 
15. ^ [1]
16. ^ [2]
17. ^ Washington Times - Cheney ouster gains backers
18. ^ "Special Report with Brit Hume", Fox News May 27, 2008;
19. ^ (Gov Track)
20. ^ http://www.crewsmostcorrupt.org/summaries/mwaters.php
21. ^ Waters, Maxine (November 1, 2006). "Petition to Deny Request for Renewal of Broadcast License". http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/ca35_waters/CS061101_fcc.html. Retrieved 2009-03-13. "Tribune influenced public opinion in the Los Angeles DMA to harm its residents and one of its most critical public health facilities – the Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center (King/Drew)." 
22. ^ McConnell, Bill (September 19, 2004). "Your Money or Your License". Broadcasting & Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA454236.html. Retrieved 2009-03-13. 
23. ^ "Station Search Details". Federal Communications Commission. http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=35670. Retrieved 2009-03-13. "Call Sign: KTLA ... Channel: 5 ... Lic Expir: 12/01/2014" 
24. ^ Was it a 'riot,' a 'disturbance' or a 'rebellion'? - Los Angeles Times
25. ^ Schmidt, Susan (March 12, 2009). "Waters Helped Bank Whose Stock She Once Owned". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123682571772404053.html. Retrieved 2009-03-13. "Ms. Waters, who represents inner-city Los Angeles, hasn't made a secret of her family's financial interest in OneUnited. Referring to her family's investment, she said in 2007 during a congressional hearing that for African-Americans, "the test of your commitment to economic expansion and development and support for business is whether or not you put your money where your mouth is."" 
26. ^ Lipton, Eric; Jim Rutenberg, Barclay Walsh (March 12, 2009). "Congresswoman, Tied to Bank, Helped Seek Funds". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/us/politics/13waters.html?scp=1&sq=OneUnited%20Waters%20Williams&st=cse. Retrieved 2009-03-13. "Top federal regulators say they were taken aback when they learned that a California congresswoman who helped set up a meeting with bankers last year had family financial ties to a bank whose chief executive asked them for up to $50 million in special bailout funds." 
27. ^ Margasak, Larry (September 16, 2009). "Ethics panel defers probe on Jesse Jackson Jr.". Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isD4Tm-5D4OFcA0LUEPQcnltY46AD9AOHICO2. Retrieved 2009-09-16. 
28. ^ Allen, Jared; Mike Soraghan (June 25, 2009). "Obey, Waters in noisy floor fight". The Hill. http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obey-waters-in-noisy-floor-fight-2009-06-25.html. Retrieved 2009-06-26. 
29. ^ "Rep. Maxine Waters is CAGW’s June Porker of the Month". Citizens Against Government Waste. April 2009. http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_porkerofthemonth_2009_June. Retrieved 2009-07-11. 

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Maxine Waters

• MaxineWaters Twitter feed
• U.S. Representative Maxine Waters official House site
• Maxine Waters at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Federal Election Commission — Ms Maxine Waters campaign finance reports and data
• On the Issues — Maxine Waters issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Maxine Waters campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart — Representative Maxine Waters (CA) profile
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Maxine Waters profile
• Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Maxine Waters voting record
• Beyond DeLay — Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) criticism from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
• Top Blacks — Maxine Waters: Distingushed Congresswoman 2001 profile
• Haiti regime neither able nor willing to hold fair election by Rep. Maxine Waters, October 19, 2005
• Los Angeles Times Interview: Maxine Waters by Robert Scheer, LA Times, May 16, 1993
• Maxine Waters interviewed by John Ziegler. (2 MB)
• Maxine Waters speaks with Street Gangs Media by Alex Alonso, www.streetgangs.com, January 18, 2003
• Votimus - Political News, Political Information, Political Involvement

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Augustus F. Hawkins	United States Representative for the 29th District of California 1991–1993	Succeeded by Henry Waxman
Preceded by Jerry Lewis	United States Representative for the 35th District of California 1993–Present	Succeeded by Incumbent

v • d • e Chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus Diggs • Stokes • Rangel • Burke • Mitchell • Collins • Fauntroy • Dixon • Leland • Dymally • Dellums • Towns • Mfume • Payne • Waters • Clyburn • Johnson • Cummings • Watt • Kilpatrick • Lee

v • d • e California's current delegation to the United States Congress Senators Dianne Feinstein (D) · Barbara Boxer (D) Representative(s) Mike Thompson (D) · Wally Herger (R) · Dan Lungren (R) · Tom McClintock (R) · Doris Matsui (D) · Lynn C. Woolsey (D) · George Miller (D) · Nancy Pelosi (D) · Barbara Lee (D) · John Garamendi (D) · Jerry McNerney (D) · Jackie Speier (D) · Pete Stark (D) · Anna Eshoo (D) · Mike Honda (D) · Zoe Lofgren (D) · Sam Farr (D) · Dennis Cardoza (D) · George Radanovich (R) · Jim Costa (D) · Devin Nunes (R) · Kevin McCarthy (R) · Lois Capps (D) · Elton Gallegly (R) · Howard McKeon (R) · David Dreier (R) · Brad Sherman (D) · Howard Berman (D) · Adam Schiff (D) · Henry Waxman (D) · Xavier Becerra (D) · Judy Chu (D) · Diane Watson (D) · Lucille Roybal-Allard (D) · Maxine Waters (D) · Jane Harman (D) · Laura Richardson (D) · Grace Napolitano (D) · Linda Sánchez (D) · Ed Royce (R) · Jerry Lewis (R) · Gary Miller (R) · Joe Baca (D) · Ken Calvert (R) · Mary Bono Mack (R) · Dana Rohrabacher (R) · Loretta Sanchez (D) · John Campbell (R) · Darrell Issa (R) · Brian Bilbray (R) · Bob Filner (D) · Duncan Hunter (R) · Susan Davis (D) State delegations Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Non-voting delegations American Samoa • District of Columbia • Guam • Northern Mariana Islands • Puerto Rico • U.S. Virgin Islands

v • d • e Current leadership of the United States House of Representatives Presiding officer Nancy Pelosi (D-Speaker) Majority (Democratic) Minority (Republican) Steny Hoyer (Leader) Jim Clyburn (Whip) John Lewis (Senior Chief Deputy Majority Whip) Debbie Wasserman Schultz, G. K. Butterfield, Joseph Crowley, Diana DeGette, Ed Pastor, Jan Schakowsky, John S. Tanner, Maxine Waters (Chief Deputy Whips) John Larson (Caucus Chairman) Xavier Becerra (Caucus Vice-Chairman) Chris Van Hollen (Campaign Committee Chairman) Rosa DeLauro, George Miller (Steering/Policy Committee Co-Chairs) John Boehner (Leader) Eric Cantor (Whip) Kevin McCarthy (Chief Deputy Whip) Mike Pence (Conference Chair) Thad McCotter (Policy Committee Chairman) Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Conference Vice-Chair) John Carter (Conference Secretary) Pete Sessions (Campaign Committee Chairman)

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