(This post may contain disputed claims. We make no assertions as to the validity of the information presented by our Opinion Columnist. We are an opinion blog, not a traditional news outlet, and this post should be treated as such. Enjoy.)Maxine Waters was just blindsided by a team of stealth lawyers who have found that the California Democrat is deep into “illegal dealings,” and she may very well see prison time. The 80-year-old Congresswoman has a long history of shady financial deals, and she thought she would get off scot-free. Waters is the one ranting about the president going to jail, but now she is the one getting busted. You’ll love this.
For years Maxine Waters shady campaign finances have been a topic of scrutiny. Waters is in the hot seat over the various ways she raises money and the funds she has paid to her daughter, Karen. The Congresswoman raises money by charging other California Democrats big bucks to be listed on the sample ballot of candidates she supports that she sends out with her mail pieces.
Just last month, Judicial Watch, who also has an open investigation into Waters, sent a letter to Congress warning them the California Democrat has no business as the powerful chairman of the House Finance Committee.
“Throughout her storied political career, Waters has been embroiled in numerous controversies, including abusing her power to enrich family members, getting a communist dictator to harbor a cop-murdering Black Panther fugitive still wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and accusing the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of selling crack cocaine in black neighborhoods. A few months ago, the 80-year-old Democrat from Los Angeles encouraged violence against Trump administration cabinet members,” Judicial Watch warned.
Now, it looks like they were right. Maxine Waters is facing potential criminal charges, and she should step down now as the Chairwoman of the House Finance Committee.
The National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative government watchdog, is alleging Waters and her daughter Karen have been in a criminal conspiracy to raise money illegally. Since 2004, Maxine’s campaign accounts, listed as “The Citizens for Waters,” have paid her daughter approximately $1 million dollars, Fox News reports.
This is how the scam works: Karen Waters is paid by various California big-named politicians to add their name to mailers she sends out. “The mailers have faced scrutiny since 2010 because the campaign, beginning in 2004, has paid Waters’ daughter or her public relations firm Progressive Connections to produce, print and mail the sample ballots. Watchdog groups have raised questions about the propriety of campaign funds financially supporting a family member, as well as Waters raising contributions in excess of federal limits through an unusual process,” Fox News added.
Maxine knew she has been skirting the law with these mailers, but the scam has been so lucrative and wacky Waters was so greedy, she didn’t stop. The charges she faces now have to do with donations to Antonio Villaraigosa, a former Democratic Los Angeles mayor who was running for governor.
Now, here’s where it gets complicated. Maxine didn’t think she would get caught because the donated money from Villaraigosa’s campaign was funneled through different organizations before it ended up in Mad Maxine’s coffers.
“Families & Teachers for Antonio” backed the losing gubernatorial campaign of Antonio Villaraigosa. The independent organization, which was not part of the gubernatorial campaign, had paid $25,000 to the “Citizens for Waters Committee” to put Villaraigosa on Waters’ slate mailers — which are sample ballots sent out to about 200,000 voters in her Los Angeles district listing the congresswoman’s endorsed candidates, reports Fox News.
So, the $25,000 payment to the Waters campaign violated election law. That’s because FEC guidelines say only another candidate — or candidate’s committee — may pay for being listed as the endorsed candidate on a slate mailer. For example, if Villaraigosa would have paid Waters directly, it would not be a problem.
But that’s not all. This is just one example of several donations to Maxine that is under scrutiny. And even if the 80-year-old Democrat pays back the money, that won’t fix it. “Listing the illegal campaign contribution as an obligation doesn’t solve the problem,” said Tom Anderson, director of government integrity project for the National Legal and Policy Center. “Even if Waters paid the donation back, and in full, the violation would have already occurred.”
The group plans to submit a new FEC complaint, but Anderson told Fox News they can’t do so until the partial government shutdown is over. “We feel she’s only reimbursing part of the money because her campaign is short on cash and owes debts to her daughter,” Anderson added.
Anderson and his team of conservative attorneys have been after Waters for quite some time. They allege the $1 million dollars Maxine has paid to her daughter is also against campaign finance laws. They are confident they will be granted a full audit of Water’s campaign finances once the government reopens, and then they will bring additional charges.
Yes, Mad Maxine could see prison time. Jesse Jackson, Jr. was found guilty of similar dealings and ended up in prison for 30 months. On February 8, 2013, Jackson admitted to violating federal campaign law by using campaign funds to make personal purchases. Jackson pleaded guilty on February 20, 2013, to one count of wire and mail fraud. On August 14, 2013, he was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.
Well, what comes around goes around. Ever since President Trump was elected, Mad Maxine has been ranting and raving to impeach the president while she claims he is part of what she calls the “Kremlin Crime Family.” Now, the reality is that it’s “Low IQ Maxine” who is facing charges for being in a family criminal conspiracy. And it couldn’t happen to a more deserving person. We may be seeing Maxine Waters wearing an orange jumpsuit real soon.
