House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said during an interview late on Monday night that Republicans have cornered Democrats into a position where they must either censure Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) or be forced to own her words as the nation braces for possible riots this week.
McCarthy told “Fox News Primetime” that he believes that Waters’ remarks rise to the level of a congressional censure, which, according to Democrat House Caucus rules, would result in Waters losing her position as chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee.
“I believe it rises to that level because Maxine Waters believes there is value in violence,” McCarthy said. “And now what she has said has even put doubt into a jury. You had a judge announce that it was wrong. I think this takes action especially when she has a pattern of this behavior.”
“I know there are probably 10 to 15 [Democrats] who would love to vote [for censure],” McCarthy continued. “It will all come down to the pressure of what Democrats will put on them to just try to vote to table it, not even to have the discussion.”
“And if they hold together, then they are going to own what not only Maxine Waters has been saying but what Tlaib and the others about removing police officers and others,” he added. “This has gone on too far and for too long.”
McCarthy’s remarks come after Waters said at a protest in Minnesota over the weekend that “protesters” were “looking for a guilty verdict,” and if they don’t get what they want, then “we cannot go away.” Regarding what “protesters” should do if they do not get the verdict that they want, Waters responded that activists have “got to stay on the street,” “get more active,” and “get more confrontational.”
A report by a Fox News correspondent late on Monday night said that some Democrats were so angry with Waters that they may vote to censure her because they are worried about violent riots getting tied to her words and hurting them in 2022.
McCarthy said in a statement over the weekend that he would take action against Waters if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to do so. On Monday, Pelosi said that she thought that Waters should not apologize, and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki avoided directly answering whether Biden supported Waters’ remarks that protests should “get more confrontational.”
In a statement on Monday, McCarthy announced that he would seek to censure Waters:
This weekend in Minnesota, Maxine Waters broke the law by violating curfew and then incited violence. Increased unrest has already led to violence against law enforcement and her comments intentionally poured fuel on the fire. We’ve heard this type of violent rhetoric from Waters before, and the United States Congress must clearly and without reservation reprimand this behavior before more people get hurt. But Speaker Pelosi is ignoring Waters’ behavior. That’s why I am introducing a resolution to censure Rep. Waters for these dangerous comments, and I hope that all my colleagues – both Republican and Democrat – will stand up for peace on America’s streets.
“. @MaxineWaters has a long history of inciting unrest and supporting dictators who use violence to get what they want,” Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) said. “She was friends with the murderous tyrant, Fidel Castro, and this is a direct page out of Fidel’s playbook!”
.@MaxineWaters has a long history of inciting unrest and supporting dictators who use violence to get what they want.
She was friends with the murderous tyrant, Fidel Castro, and this is a direct page out of Fidel’s playbook! https://t.co/HTlLC25j4A
— Rep. María Elvira Salazar (@RepMariaSalazar) April 19, 2021