Major Controversies Surrounding Maxine Waters: A Detailed Timeline

Controversies are a part of history. Explore the biggest scandals linked to Maxine Waters.

Maxine Waters is an American politician who has served as the U.S. representative for California's 43rd congressional district since 1991. Throughout her tenure, she has represented various districts within southern Los Angeles, including portions of Gardena, Inglewood, and Torrance.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

July 1992: Waters calls Bush "a racist"

In July 1992, Maxine Waters called President George H. W. Bush "a racist" who "polarized the races in this country". She had previously suggested that Bush had used race to advance his policies.

1992: Waters gains national attention during Rodney King riots

In 1992, Maxine Waters gained national attention during the Rodney King riots in south-central Los Angeles. She led a chant of "No justice, no peace" at a rally and helped deliver relief supplies in Watts. Waters described the riots as a rebellion against injustice and addressed the looting of Korean-owned stores.

July 29, 1994: Suspension from the House

On July 29, 1994, Maxine Waters was suspended from the House for the remainder of the day after repeatedly interrupting a speech by Representative Peter King, leading to her being deemed "unruly and turbulent".

1996: Called for CIA Investigation

In 1996, after a San Jose Mercury News article alleged CIA complicity in the Los Angeles crack epidemic, Maxine Waters called for an investigation.

1998: Waters criticizes US efforts to overthrow Castro and sends Castro a letter

In 1998, Maxine Waters criticized previous U.S. efforts to overthrow the Fidel Castro regime in Cuba and demanded an end to the U.S. trade embargo. She also wrote Castro a letter calling the 1960s and 1970s "a sad and shameful chapter of our history" and thanked him for helping those who needed to "flee political persecution".

1998: Waters writes Castro an open letter about Assata Shakur

In 1998, Maxine Waters wrote Fidel Castro an open letter asking him not to extradite convicted terrorist Assata Shakur from Cuba, where she had sought asylum. Waters argued that much of the Black community regarded Shakur's conviction as false. Previously, Waters had supported a Republican bill to extradite Shakur.

1999: Waters Calls on Clinton to Return Elián González to Cuba

In 1999, Maxine Waters called on President Bill Clinton to return six-year-old Elián González to his father in Cuba. Elián had survived a boat journey from Cuba, during which his mother had drowned, and was taken in by U.S. relatives.

2000: Objected to Florida's Electoral Votes

In 2000, Maxine Waters and other House members objected to Florida's electoral votes in the presidential election, which George W. Bush narrowly won. The objection was dismissed by Vice President Al Gore.

2002: Waters Voted Against Iraq War Resolution

In 2002, Maxine Waters voted against the Iraq War Resolution, which funded and granted Congressional approval to possible military action against Saddam Hussein's regime.

2004: Los Angeles Times Report on Waters' Relatives

In 2004, Chuck Neubauer and Ted Rohrlich wrote in the Los Angeles Times that Maxine Waters' relatives had made over $1 million in the preceding years by doing business with entities she had helped.

2004: Waters Opposes Coup in Haiti and Meets with Aristide

In 2004, Maxine Waters opposed the coup d'état in Haiti and criticized U.S. involvement. Following the coup, she joined a delegation to meet with Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and brought him to Jamaica, where he remained until May.

2004: Voted Against Counting Ohio's Electoral Votes

In 2004, Maxine Waters was among the House Democrats who voted against counting Ohio's electoral votes in the presidential election, which George W. Bush won.

2005: Secret Meeting with Farrakhan

In 2005, Maxine Waters had a secret meeting with Louis Farrakhan with the Congressional Black Caucus.

2005: Listed as Corrupt Member of Congress

In 2005, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington listed Maxine Waters as a corrupt member of Congress.

2006: Involved in King Drew Medical Center Debate

In 2006, Maxine Waters participated in the debate over King Drew Medical Center. She also asked the FCC to deny a waiver of the cross ownership ban, affecting KTLA-TV.

2006: Listed as Corrupt Member of Congress

In 2006, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington listed Maxine Waters as a corrupt member of Congress.

2007: Waters Criticizes Bush's Iraq War Funding Requests

In 2007, Maxine Waters asserted that President George W. Bush was trying to "set [Congress] up" by continually requesting funds for the Iraq War, arguing that the economic resources being "wasted" in Iraq could be used for universal health care or fully funding the "No Child Left Behind" education bill.

September 2008: Arranged Meetings for OneUnited Bank

In September 2008, Maxine Waters arranged meetings between U.S. Treasury Department officials and OneUnited Bank to help the bank secure federal cash.

June 2009: Named Porker of the Month

In June 2009, Citizens Against Government Waste named Maxine Waters the Porker of the Month due to her intention to secure an earmark for the Maxine Waters Employment Preparation Center.

2009: Confrontation Over Earmark

In 2009, Maxine Waters had a confrontation with Representative Dave Obey concerning an earmark in the United States House Committee on Appropriations for a public school employment training center in Los Angeles named after her.

2010: Ethics Investigation

In 2010, Maxine Waters was charged with ethics violations by the House Ethics Committee due to her efforts to assist OneUnited Bank.

August 2011: Waters Criticizes Obama's Support for Black Community

In August 2011, Maxine Waters criticized President Barack Obama for being insufficiently supportive of the black community, citing the high unemployment rate among African Americans. She stated that African American members of Congress were reluctant to criticize Obama because "y'all love the President."

August 20, 2011: Waters Criticizes Tea Party Movement

On August 20, 2011, at a town hall discussing displeasure among Barack Obama's supporters about the Congressional Black Caucus's lack of support for him, Maxine Waters criticized the Tea Party movement, stating, "the 'tea party' can go straight to Hell ... and I intend to help them get there."

October 2011: Public Dispute with Obama

In October 2011, Maxine Waters had a public dispute with President Barack Obama, arguing that he paid more attention to swing voters in the Iowa caucuses than to black voters. Obama responded by telling her to "stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying" and to work with him.

2011: Voted Against National Defense Authorization Act

In 2011, Maxine Waters voted against the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, due to concerns about a provision allowing indefinite detention without trial.

2011: Listed as Corrupt Member of Congress

In 2011, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington listed Maxine Waters as a corrupt member of Congress.

2016: Objected to Wyoming's Electoral Votes

In 2016, Maxine Waters objected to Wyoming's electoral votes after the presidential election, a state Donald Trump won. The objection was dismissed by then-Vice President Joe Biden.

February 2017: Waters calls for Trump's impeachment

In February 2017, Maxine Waters began calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump, stating he was "leading himself" to possible impeachment due to conflicts of interest and creating "chaos and division."

July 2017: Reclaiming My Time Incident

In July 2017, during a House Financial Services Committee meeting, Maxine Waters questioned Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, repeatedly using the phrase "reclaiming my time". This phrase became associated with her criticisms of then-President Donald Trump.

August 12, 2017: Waters Links Trump to Charlottesville Violence

On August 12, 2017, Maxine Waters linked Donald Trump to the violence at a white nationalist protest rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, stating that the White House "is now the White Supremacists' House."

September 2017: Waters Vows to "Clean Out the White House"

In September 2017, while giving a eulogy at Dick Gregory's funeral, Maxine Waters said that she was "cleaning out the White House" and that "when I get through with Donald Trump, he's going to wish he had been impeached."

October 2017: Waters says there is enough evidence to impeach Trump

In October 2017, Maxine Waters stated that the U.S. Congress had enough evidence against Donald Trump to "be moving on impeachment", referencing Russian collusion allegations during the 2016 presidential election, and accused Trump of obstructing justice.

2017: Waters criticizes Trump

In 2017, Maxine Waters called Donald Trump "a bully, an egotistical maniac, a liar and someone who did not need to be president" and "the most deplorable person I've ever met in my life." She also described Trump's advisors with ties to Russia as "a bunch of scumbags" during an appearance on MSNBC's All In with Chris Hayes.

April 24, 2018: Waters Urges Trump to Resign at Time 100 Gala

On April 24, 2018, while attending the Time 100 Gala, Maxine Waters urged Donald Trump to resign from office, stating, "So that I won't have to keep up this fight of your having to be impeached because I don't think you deserve to be there. Just get out."

June 23, 2018: Waters Urges Harassment of Trump Officials

On June 23, 2018, Maxine Waters urged attendees at a Los Angeles rally to harass Trump administration officials after Sarah Huckabee Sanders was denied service at a restaurant.

2018: Waters responds to Trump's State of the Union address

In 2018, after Donald Trump's State of the Union address, Maxine Waters released a video response criticizing what she viewed as his racist viewpoint and actions, calling him "a dangerous, unprincipled, divisive, and shameful racist." Trump later responded by calling her a "low-IQ individual".

2018: Called on to Resign

In early 2018, Maxine Waters was among the members of Congress the Republican Jewish Coalition called on to resign due to their connections with Louis Farrakhan. The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle noted Waters had "long embraced Farrakhan" and refused to denounce him.

June 18, 2019: Waters Asks Facebook to Halt Libra Cryptocurrency

On June 18, 2019, Maxine Waters asked Facebook to halt its plan for the development and launching of Libra, a new cryptocurrency, citing concerns about investor protection, privacy, national security, cybersecurity, and trading risks.

December 18, 2019: Waters Votes for Trump's Impeachment

On December 18, 2019, Maxine Waters voted for both articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. Before voting for the second impeachment, she called him "the worst president in the history of the United States."

April 17, 2021: Waters Comments on Daunte Wright Protests and Chauvin Trial

On April 17, 2021, Maxine Waters' comments while attending protests over the killing of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, drew controversy. Waters commented on the protests and the Derek Chauvin trial, stating, "I hope we get a verdict that says guilty, guilty, guilty. And if we don't, we cannot go away."

April 19, 2021: Judge Comments on Waters' Remarks in Chauvin Trial

On April 19, 2021, the judge in the Derek Chauvin trial stated that Maxine Waters' comments were "abhorrent" and "disrespectful to the rule of law." He denied a request for a mistrial but suggested her remarks could be grounds for appeal.