Democrats Cringe Over Waters Battle

Embattled Rep. Maxine Waters has always been an agitator who is more than willing to pick a fight when she thinks she’s right.

And that’s what makes her such a potential liability for Democrats.

The California Democrat’s long history of taking on her party establishment has convinced leaders that she will follow through on her pledge to fight ethics charges, whatever the cost to the party in November.

Even more than Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) — who, like Waters, faces a potential ethics trial this fall on unrelated charges — the combative Waters is viewed as someone who pursues her own agenda and refuses to automatically fall in line with party doctrine. So it was of little surprise to many Democrats when Waters vowed Monday to publicly fight yet-to-be-unveiled ethics charges stemming from a probe of her role in securing $12 million in federal bailout funds in 2009 for OneUnited Bank, a company with close ties to her husband.

“Maxine Waters isn’t afraid to take on anybody or any entity,” one Democratic leadership aide said.

The fiery California liberal — who, according to several sources, is not particularly close to Speaker Nancy Pelosi despite their political and geographical similarities — has earned a reputation as a difficult person to deal with. In part, that comes from incidents such as a June 2009 shoving match with Appropriations Chairman David Obey on the House floor that grew out of Waters’ indignation at Obey’s refusal to approve a $1 million earmark for an employment center in Waters’ district that bears her name.

Read more: (Kathleen Hunter and Jennifer Yachnin, “Democrats Cringe Over Waters Battle,” Roll Call, 08/05/2010)