Representative Maxine Waters on Monday became the second veteran House Democrat in days to face charges of ethics violations, another burden for the party three months from key elections. Waters, a 10-term lawmaker from California, immediately denied wrongdoing and said in a statement that she would fight the charges in a open trial that could be a fresh headache for Democrats before the November contest.
"I simply will not be forced to admit to something I did not do and instead have chosen to respond to charges made by the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct in a public hearing," she said. That panel, often dubbed the House Ethics Committee, will consider whether she violated House rules by seeking government help for a bank at a time when her husband, a former member of its board, owned stock in the institution.
Waters is a member of the House Financial Services Committee that played a leading role in drafting historic the Wall Street regulatory overhaul signed by President Barack Obama in July.
The announcement came after the same House committee set the stage for a trial-like hearing into 13 charges against veteran US Representative Charles Rangel, a four-decade House member facing accusations of financial impropriety. Rangel had stepped down in early March as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee that overseas tax and trade legislation and, like Waters, is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Both lawmakers have safe seats, but the charges against them could have an impact in the November elections, with Republicans alread recalling Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's pledge to "drain the swamp" of congressional corruption after several high-profile Republicans fell to ethics scandals.