Waters, Richardson face ethics probes

Posted: Thursday, October 29, 2009 4:57 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Congress

From NBC's Mike Viqueira
The House ethics committee has just announced that it is going forward with investigations of allegations surrounding Reps. Maxine Waters and Laura Richardson.

The committee is also announcing its finding that Rep. Sam Graves has not violated any rules and the committee is closing its investigation.

The committee statement, in part, regarding Waters:

"...the Committee has unanimously voted to establish an investigative subcommittee to conduct an inquiry...

"...with respect to Representative Waters' alleged communications and activities with, or on behalf of, the National Bankers Association or OneUnited Bank, a bank in which Representative Waters' husband owned stock and previously served on the board of directors..."

Regarding Richardson:

"...the Committee has unanimously voted to establish an investigative subcommittee...

"...(to see if Richardson violated House rules) by failing to disclose certain real property, income and liabilities on her financial disclosure forms (and amendments thereto) and whether Representative Richardson received an impermissible 'gift' or received preferential treatment from her lender relating to the foreclosure sale of loan modification agreement for, or relating to, her property in Sacramento, California."

Regarding Graves:

"...representative Graves did not violate any provision of the Code of Official Conduct...

"...with respect to an invitation extended to testify before a Committee on Small Business hearing on issues facing the renewable fuels industry to Mr. Brooks Hurst, who held investments in the same renewable fuel cooperatives as Representative Graves' wife. The Committee considers the matter closed and no further inquiry is warranted."

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Comments

Sounds racist.

DeMonte Moore, Chicago (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:07 PM)

Try this loser - I'll even use a leftwing rag like Huffington:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/25/chicago-once-again-the-us_n_137804.html

Matt in Chicago (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:11 PM)

I'm sorry, Feisty; it's just how I feel about this!! Seven-year-old little girls were stripped of their civil rights and taken to a foreign country and no one would help; yet civil rights in this issue is given wall-to-wall media coverage and an invitation to the WH!!

Pam, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 4:53 PM)
_______________

I’m sorry Pam… I had no IDEA and sincerely apologize if I caused you discomfort with my post! Being a mother myself I can only IMAGINE what you must of went through!

My ex-husband was constantly threatening to take my daughter (although he was a US citizen) and the FEAR of that alone was intolerable!

The only ‘saving grace’ was he passed away before he could make good on his threats!

*hugs???*

As for the ‘beer summit’ YES… things were handled badly by all involved… however the point I was trying to make is… now that things have settled down there was a ‘lesson’ to be learned and it looks like these two were good pupils!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:13 PM)

Maxine and friends are in max hot Waters. Sit back and listen to her scream, threaten, and lie some more. Oh, and Feisty, would you butter us some more popcorn as you wear your pumpkin clown outfit?

Poor, poor feisty of Chee Kaggo (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:15 PM)

Glad to see investigations. It must be difficult to avoid all association via marriage or children with companies that as an elected official, you are responsible for overseeing or voting for/against. These sound more like routine investigations to keep things in check unlike Rangel, DeLay, Duke Cunningham, etc.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:17 PM)

Maxine Waters is a wonderful woman and an excellent Congresswoman!! Similar accusations have been made about democrats in the past, only to be proven false!! I'm quite confident she will be vindicated!!

Now what about this?

"FPPC won't investigate Duvall's alleged mistresses"

FPPC Executive Director Porter also wrote that the media reports about the taped comments referenced in the complaint were not sufficient evidence to "provide a factual basis for finding that a violation of the (Political Reform Act) occurred."

Well, Porter, perhaps an INVESTIGATION would have found some factual basis!! The FPPC needs to be investigated!! How appalling!! I wonder how Porter felt about the SCOTUS ruling, which allowed a sitting president to be deposed in a civil lawsuit?!?! Oh, but Clinton was a democrat, never mind!!

http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/capitolalertlatest/026589.html

Pam, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:37 PM)

Gee, i wonder if they were republican if they would have had the (R) in front of their names in the article. Amazing, that first read forgot to mention they were Dumbocrats.

ben Miami (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:41 PM)

Waters will be exonerated. There's no evidence that she does anything KNOWINGLY.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:45 PM)

Didn't take long for this guy to figure things out. Nice going Matt.
HMI - MI (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 4:37 PM)

Yep!! Didn't take Matt long to expose himself as the hypocrite he is!! Whines about HCR, yet expects those "evil socialized" services like police protection, fire dept protection, trash collection, utilities, and the list goes on and on!!

You people shoot yourselves in the foot each and every time you open your mouths about "socialism"!!

LOL!! Pretty easy beating up on people like you!!

Pam, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:00 PM)

Always remember, when a Republican does something it's a crime. If a Democrat does something it's a mistake, or a misunderstanding. I grew up in the Boston area, where one of the sayings about politics is "If you're indicted, you're invited."

Mike Nashu NH (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:10 PM)

This is nothing------

Where's Karl the Rover and Condi Sleazer? What's happening with the Rovers' testimony....

Get to the bottom of all the Bush/Cheney Corruption!

Ed, San Antonio (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:19 PM)

Well, it's not like they tortured POWs or betrayed CIA agents. That would be treason.

Scooter (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:22 PM)

What ever happened to Rep Jane Harman ?

She was the one who offered to quash espionage trials in exchange for getting a Congressional chairmanship

Is that just water under the bridge ?

How about Rep Eric Cantor's wife ?
The bank that hired her got stimulus funds after hiring her
Coincidence ?
Maybe not

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:24 PM)

Play footsies with the lobbyists and you might get in trouble. The best thing to do is severly regulate the lobbyists. I suggest they submit a written argument for their side and perhaps be given a chance at testimony at a hearing but that is it. We aren't supposed to be like the Spanish tradition of bribing our way through the legislative process but the English way of fair and unbiased decision making truly representing those who sent us to Parliament or Congress on their behalf.

eagle1776 (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:27 PM)

Its time for them to scream Racism again.

martin, pittsburgh, pa (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 7:05 PM)

Maxine and friends are in max hot Waters. Sit back and listen to her scream, threaten, and lie some more. Oh, and Feisty, would you butter us some more popcorn as you wear your pumpkin clown outfit?
Poor, poor feisty of Chee Kaggo (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:15 PM)

Your sure early to be acting like a clown!! Halloween is two days away but carry on if you must; you're a fool!!

Pam, San Pedro, California (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 7:23 PM)

Let's face it folks,those people in watts could care less if she is a crook as long as she brings home the bacon from DC

Proud Reublican (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 8:35 PM)

What about Charles Rangel investigation ? What he did was far worse than these reported investigations !

Alan (Sent Thursday, October 29, 2009 10:41 PM)

morning joe should spend some time watching pbs , they had a program on about the 1929 great depression and how the then republican president didnt want to help the people .Along came the election and he started to get us out of the depression.Its not about party its about being an american first.

larry (Sent Friday, October 30, 2009 6:22 AM)

Nothing is going to happen with these investigations. Our elected officials silence on these ethics charges speaks volumes.

Ensign (parents paid mistress off), Rangel ( FOUR rent control apartments, where is NYC Mayor or NYC Housing authority), Conyers (wife assumed status included bribes and free jewerly; no longer in the news after Congressman dropped ACRON investigation)...

They can investigate until the cows come home - whoops - they are... Nothing will come of it and the MSM is silent.

9corona (Sent Friday, October 30, 2009 8:40 AM)

Are people elected to Congress crooks when they go there or do they morph into crooks by just being there. Mark Twain's famous quote " the only native american criminal class is congress" is still appropos. Its appears he was right on.

paul (Sent Friday, October 30, 2009 9:58 AM)

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