House Democrats nuked a resolution to censure California Rep. Maxine Waters Tuesday after the Los Angeles-area congresswoman called for escalated confrontation if the jury in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin refuses a guilty verdict.
“We are looking for a guilty verdict,” Waters said over the weekend. Anything less, warrants intensified unrest after progressive revolutionaries held a police station under siege and smashed windows to loot businesses. “Not manslaughter. No no no, this is guilty. For murder.”
“We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business,” she declared, calling for protestors “get more confrontational.”
Two Minnesota national guardsmen were injured hours later in a drive-by shooting as the Twin Cities remains on edge ahead of the verdict, announced to be coming shortly after 10 hours of deliberation Tuesday.
The comments, excused by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the White House, drew the admonishment of Judge Peter Cahill who presides over Chavuvin’s trial. “I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case,” Cahill said, before calling Waters’ comments “abhorrent.”
Congressional Republicans condemned Waters’ comments as incitement and jury intimidation as Chauvin’s defense team was denied requests to sequester the jury throughout the trial.
House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s resolution to censure Waters however, failed in the House 216-210.
Chairwoman Waters’ actions are beneath the dignity of this institution.
They raised the potential for violence, directed lawlessness, and may have interfered with a co-equal branch of government.
I just introduced this censure resolution to hold her accountable. pic.twitter.com/cGuEFNNqZo
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) April 20, 2021
The same chamber run by Pelosi voted to impeach President Donald Trump in January on charges of inciting insurrection over a speech where the president demanded protestors “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
