Republican House members from Minnesota have joined a growing chorus of GOP lawmakers demanding Democrats move to censure Rep. Maxine Waters over her comments regarding the Derek Chauvin trial.
Waters traveled to Minnesota over the weekend and urged protesters to “get more confrontational” if the jury finds Chauvin ‘not guilty.’
“We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business,” she added. “We’re looking for a guilty verdict.”
In a letter addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the GOP delegation alleges Waters “encouraged protestors to defy locally enacted curfews designed to protect life and property.”
The Republican House members from Minnesota are Tom Emmer, Jim Hagedorn, Michelle Fischbach, and Pete Stauber. Minnesota has eight House members, with all four Democrats in the area of the Twin Cities.
They also pointed out she was insisting the jury find Chauvin “guilty of first-degree murder,” noting it is not one of the charges against the former Minneapolis police officer.
The delegation is calling for “the immediate consideration of a resolution censuring Representative Waters for her inflammatory rhetoric,” and requested that the Democrats “publicly condemn” her over the remarks.
Minnesota’s four House Republicans voice support for Rep. Maxine Waters’ censure, call for her to be investigated as well: pic.twitter.com/H7n1ascflI
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) April 19, 2021
RELATED: Chauvin Trial Judge: Maxine Waters ‘Confrontation’ Comments Could Get Entire Trial Overturned
Calls To Censure Maxine Waters Growing
Aside from calling on Democrats to censure Maxine Waters, the Minnesota GOP delegation is advising the California Democrat be investigated as well.
The letter pushes the Democrat leaders to “investigate whether taxpayer funds were used for Representative Waters’ travel to a state and district that she was not elected to represent for activities unrelated to her official duties.”
They write that Waters was speaking in a location that saw “more than 600 people” arrested and over “$500 million in property loss” due to race riots over the summer for the very same case.
“After listening to Representative Waters’ divisive rhetoric and watching violence erupt following her remarks, there is a stunning silence from members of Democrat leadership on the subject of accountability and healing,” they said.
“We urge you to immediately censure and investigate Representative Waters for her inflammatory rhetoric and make a public call for calm in the days and weeks ahead.”
This weekend in Minnesota, Maxine Waters broke the law by violating curfew and then incited violence.
Speaker Pelosi is ignoring Waters’ behavior—that’s why I am introducing a resolution to censure Rep. Waters for these dangerous comments.
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) April 19, 2021
Democrats Dig In
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy moved for censure of Maxine Waters on Monday, saying she clearly “believes there is value in violence.”
The judge presiding over the case, Judge Peter Cahill, stated Waters’ ‘confrontation’ remarks during the trial and prior to the jury being sequestered were “abhorrent” and advised the defense her words could lead to the “whole trial being overturned” on appeal.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called out the Democrat congresswoman for “inappropriate” conduct.
“Every single American deserves a fair trial. This is sacred,” McConnell said. “You do not balance the scales of justice by trying to tip them.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell uses his floor speech today to go after Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) after she told protesters in Minnesota to “stay in the street” and become “more confrontational”:
“It’s hard to imagine anything more inappropriate …” pic.twitter.com/syadcXtj9Y
— The Recount (@therecount) April 19, 2021
Democrats are so far solidly in lock-step defending Waters.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) insisted Waters had nothing to apologize for.
“Maxine talked about confrontation in the manner of the civil rights movement,” she said before adding, “No, I don’t think she should apologize.”
Hey, Speaker Pelosi, “That Woman” is speaking up again on Congresswoman Maxine Waters. And this time it’s directly to you, Madam Speaker.
WATCH from @HARRISFAULKNER‘s live exclusive with @RepLisaMcClain moments ago pic.twitter.com/LRqzTsNxeU— The Faulkner Focus (@FaulknerFocus) April 20, 2021
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) played a game of whataboutism in defending Waters’ incendiary comments.
“Lauren Boebert is a mess. Matt Gaetz is a mess. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a mess. Clean up your mess, Kevin,” he fired back.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) slams Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for wanting to censure Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA):
“Lauren Boebert is a mess. Matt Gaetz is a mess. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a mess. Clean up your mess, Kevin.” pic.twitter.com/OpenTDA9xx
— The Recount (@therecount) April 20, 2021
Democrats always galvanize behind their fellow party members.
That’s why they never censure people like Maxine Waters, or Ilhan Omar, or even Speaker Pelosi herself.
And they likely won’t censure this time either.
