California Representative Maxine Waters’ campaign has agreed to pay a hefty fine of $68,000 after an investigation revealed multiple campaign finance law violations during her 2020 reelection campaign.
According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Waters’ campaign committee, Citizens for Waters, was found to have broken several rules, including inaccurately reporting its financial activities, knowingly accepting excessive donations, and making illegal cash payments.
In official documents, the FEC outlined how Citizens for Waters accepted $19,000 in unlawful contributions from seven individuals between 2019 and 2020—far above the $2,800 legal limit per individual. Although the campaign eventually refunded the excess donations, the FEC noted that these refunds were not made in a timely manner.
The investigation also found that Waters’ campaign made four separate cash payments over $100, totaling $7,000—another clear violation.
As part of the settlement, Waters’ campaign must send its treasurer to an FEC training program within a year to ensure future compliance. The committee is required to submit proof of attendance to the FEC as a condition of the agreement.
In an unrelated incident, Waters drew attention at a Los Angeles rally last weekend by calling on then-President Donald Trump to investigate and potentially deport First Lady Melania Trump. Waters’ remarks, made during a protest against Trump’s attempts to end birthright citizenship, were captured in widely circulated videos online.
“He wants to challenge birthright citizenship and go after those born here to undocumented parents,” Waters said. “Maybe he should start by investigating Melania. We don’t know if her parents were documented—let’s take a closer look.”
Earlier, at a Washington, D.C. event protesting billionaire Elon Musk’s access to financial data, Waters condemned Musk’s actions and insisted he had no authority to handle sensitive information. “Nobody elected you, Elon,” she declared. “You have no mandate to oversee Americans’ financial data.”
The hefty fine and heightened scrutiny highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Waters and her campaign as they navigate campaign finance regulations and public controversies.
