Another Democrat in Hot Waters

Rangel isn't the only House member in trouble of late. Today, the House ethics committee released three ethics charges against Democratic Representative Maxine Waters of California. The charges accuse Waters of aiding a bank with which she was personally connected in getting federal bailout assistance. Specifically, Waters organized a meeting between officials within the Treasury Department and executives from OneUnited Bank, where her husband was once a board member and had large investments. The bank then received a $12 million bailout from the federal government's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).  

Obviously, Waters should have recused herself from the treasury's dealings with OneUnited to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Instead, she and her staff remained intimately involved and took official action for her and her family's personal benefit. She was also charged with receiving compensation for exerting improper influence from her position as her husband's investments constituted compensation.

Waters, unsurprisingly, just as indignant as Rangel, defended her assistance to OneUnited as an effort on behalf of minority-owned businesses. She said she was innocent, and like Rangel, has vowed to face a public trial rather than settle and admit, at the least, an egregiously stupid lapse of judgment. 

I wonder if she'll be attending Rangel's 80th birthday party on Wednesday at the Plaza?