Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) appears to be in total denial that her recent incendiary “confrontational” remarks have ignited a firestorm when she urged protestors during a weekend protest in Minnesota if former Police Officer Derek Chauvin is found to be acquitted in the death of George Floyd that has now given the defense, according to the judge a basis for “this whole trial being overturned.”
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill Monday, Waters completely denied that she was scolded by the judge overseeing Chauvin’s trial, despite that his rebuked comment was made in open court that was live-streamed by millions late Monday afternoon.
“The judge says my words don’t matter,” Waters falsely declared to reporters when asked about Judge Peter Cahill’s fuming remarks.
CNN reporter Manu Raju pressed Waters on the judge reprimanded her remarks, acknowledging to the defense that it could be grounds for an appeal, Waters dismissed the reality of Cahill’s denouncement, saying, “Oh no, no they didn’t.”
Over the weekend, Waters jet-setted to Brooklyn Center, Minnesota with police protection to join protestors at anti-police brutality protest ahead of the jury deliberation 24 hours later. Breaking the law in violating the curfew imposed by the state, “Auntie” Waters told the protestors to fight for “justice,” to be “more confrontational,” in a region that has been experienced a week of nonstop rioting, looting, and other intensified violence at night.
“We’ve got to stay in the streets, and we’ve got to demand justice,” Waters told the crowd of protestors and reporters in Brooklyn Center late Saturday evening.
The California Democrat said that no verdict in the Chauvin trial would be accepted, saying that she was “hopeful” that Chauvin would be convicted of first-degree murder, but if he isn’t, “we cannot go away.” However, Waters’ demand would be difficult to even obtain since the former Minnesota police officer was not charged with first-degree murder.
“Oh no, not manslaughter, no no,” Waters declared, despite the reporter’s failed attempt in correcting Chauvin’s charges. “This is guilty for murder. I don’t know if it was in the first degree, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s first-degree murder.”
When asked what the protesters should do if they don’t get the verdict they want, Waters replied, “We got to stay on the street. And we’ve got to get more active, we’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business.”
During the jury deliberation on Monday, Cahill scolded Waters’ for her remarks as “abhorrent” in urging protesters to “get more confrontational,” conceding in open court by declaring that her comments not only come at a worse time or put the court in a worse position but may have given the defense the grounds that could lead to the whole case “being overturned.”
“I’ll give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned,” Cahill said Monday evening before denying a motion by Chauvin’s defense attorney for a mistrial on the grounds of Waters’ remarks.
Cahill lamented that lawmakers’ “disrespectful” comments to the “rule of law and to the judicial branch” have potentially influenced the outcome of the trial.
“I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case, especially in a manner that is disrespectful to the rule of law and to the judicial branch and our function. Their failure to do so, I think, is abhorrent,” the judge angrily stated. “But I don’t think it has prejudiced us with additional material that would prejudice this jury. They have been told not to watch the news. I trust they are following those instructions.”
The California congresswoman has a long history of making controversial comments, including recently in 2018 when she called on protestors to publicly confront and harass Trump administration officials in response to the “zero tolerance” policy.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said that she didn’t believe Waters needed to apologize for the controversial comments, adding that the criticism of her words is a “misrepresentation by the other side.”
The White House also refused to condemn Waters, opting to directly dodge the question when asked if President Joe Biden agrees with controversial remarks.
Meanwhile, many Democrats are reportedly angry with Waters’ remarks and the House Speaker refusing to condemn them, saying they are concerned about the optics of potential violence being linked back to the party and her remarks being called out by the judge, Republicans on the other hand quickly condemned the California Democrat for her reckless incendiary remarks.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) plans to introduce a resolution to censure Waters on Tuesday, one of the three formal means of discipline in the House, wedged in between reprimand and expulsion. The House has only censured 23 members in its history with the last censure posed on former Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) in 2010 for a host of offenses, ranging from misusing official House resources to tax evasion.
Brooklyn CenterCensureCongressDemocratsDerek ChauvinGeorge FloydHouseJudge Peter CahillMinnesotaRep. Charlie RangelRep. Kevin McCarthyRep. Maxine WatersSpeaker Nancy PelosiWhite House
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