Democrats kill resolution to censure Maxine Waters over her comments encouraging protesters to 'get more confrontational'



Democrats successfully killed a resolution Tuesday to censure Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) over comments she made calling on protesters to "get more confrontational" if the Derek Chauvin trial didn't go their way.

The motion was tabled by a partisan vote of 216 to 210 on Tuesday just ahead of the verdict in the case being announced.

Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called for the censure resolution after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused to condemn the comments and defended Waters instead.

"Chairwoman Waters' actions are beneath the dignity of this institution," tweeted McCarthy on Tuesday.

"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," he wrote, with the text of the resolution added.

Waters made the comments while joining protesters on Sunday at Brooklyn Center.

"Well, we got to stay on the street," Waters said to protesters. "And we've got to get more active. You've got to get more confrontational. You got to make sure that they know we mean business."

She also said she disagreed with authorities setting city curfews in order to curtail rioting.

"I don't know what curfew means," Waters continued. "Curfew means that I want you all to stop talking. I want you to stop meeting. I want you stop gathering. I don't agree with that."

Many saw the comments as inciting violence among protesters, while others said that the comments were in line with the peaceful but confrontational protests of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.

When Pelosi was confronted about the comments, she said that Waters should not apologize for what she said.

Earlier on Monday a Fox News report said that some Democrat lawmakers were so angered by Waters' comments that they were willing to support a censure resolution. No Democrat voted for the motion.

Chauvin was found guilty of all charges in the death of George Floyd. He could face as many as 40 years in prison for the charges.

Here's more about the verdict in the Chauvin case:

Watch: Chauvin Declared Guilty On All Counts In Death Of George Floyd | NBC Newswww.youtube.com

Maxine Waters claims judge in Chauvin trial said her 'words don't matter' just minutes after the judge specifically said her comments could cause the trial to be overturned



California left-wing Rep. Maxine Waters (D) cannot get out of her own way — or the way of the judicial system and peaceful society.

Over the weekend, Waters hurled incendiary language during a rant during a protest in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, about the case of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin for his role in the death of George Floyd during an arrest.

But despite a statement from the judge in the case responding directly to the congresswoman's remarks and his admission that those words could be used to get the Chauvin trial tossed on appeal, Waters remained defiant and claimed that the judge had said her "words don't matter."

What happened?

Water demanded Saturday during a rally that the Chauvin jury return a guilty verdict for murder, and told the crowd that if that didn't happen, then "we got to stay on the street, and we've got to get more active. You've got to get more confrontational. You got to make sure that they know we mean business."

Chauvin's lawyer, Eric Nelson, used Waters' remarks to ask for a mistrial: "It is so pervasive. I just don't know how this jury can really be said to be that they are free from the taint of this. Now that we have U.S. representatives threatening acts of violence in relation to this specific case, it's mind-boggling to me, judge!"

Judge Peter Cahill denied Nelson's request, but he did say that Waters' rhetoric could come back to bite the prosecution on appeal.

"I will give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned," Cahill said.

The judge continued to blast Waters' and her ilk's "abhorrent" and "disrespectful" manner of discussing the case.

"I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case especially in a manner that is disrespectful to the rule of law, and to the judicial branch and our function," Cahill said. "I think if they want to give their opinions they should do so in a respectful and in a manner that is consistent with their oath to the Constitution to respect a coequal branch of government."

"Their failure to do so is abhorrent!" he continued.

CNN's Manu Raju caught up with Waters shortly after Cahill made his remarks and asked her about the judge's direct rebuke of her language.

Raju reported that Waters said, "The judge says my words don't matter."

He pressed the lawmaker about Cahill saying that her rant could be grounds for appeal. She replied, "Oh no, no they didn't."

Just asked Maxine Waters about the judge’s rebuke of her words, and she said repeatedly: “The judge says my words d… https://t.co/EsRRuFEFsL
— Manu Raju (@Manu Raju)1618875725.0

Cahill did say, following his ripping of Waters' remarks, that, because he trusted the jury to not watch television, "a congresswoman's opinion really doesn't matter a whole lot anyway."

But he in no way let the radical left-wing congresswoman off the hook as she claimed to Raju.

Nancy Pelosi defends Maxine Waters' comments calling on protesters to 'get more confrontational'



House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused calls to censure Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) after she called on protesters to be more "confrontational" if former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin is not found guilty of murdering George Floyd.

Pelosi was asked by reporters Monday if Waters should apologize for her comments, and she defended her Democratic colleague.

"Maxine talked about confrontation in the manner of the Civil Rights movement. I myself think we should take our lead from the George Floyd family. They've handled this with great dignity and no ambiguity or lack of misinterpretation by the other side," Pelosi replied.

When pressed about whether Waters should apologize, she added, "No, I don't think she should apologize."

Waters ignited a firestorm with her comments at a protest Sunday in Brooklyn Center.

"Well, we got to stay on the street," Waters said to the protesters. "And we've got to get more active. You've got to get more confrontational. You got to make sure that they know we mean business."

She went on to say that she didn't agree with curfews imposed by officials trying to quell any possible rioting.

"I don't know what curfew means," Waters explained. "Curfew means that I want you all to stop talking. I want you to stop meeting. I want you stop gathering. I don't agree with that."

Many saw her comments as encouraging street violence.

On Monday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) promised to take action against Waters if Pelosi refused to do so herself.

"Maxine Waters is inciting violence in Minneapolis — just as she has incited it in the past," McCarthy tweeted. "If Speaker Pelosi doesn't act against this dangerous rhetoric, I will bring action this week."

Maxine Waters is inciting violence in Minneapolis — just as she has incited it in the past. If Speaker Pelosi doesn… https://t.co/iUicQJYq3f
— Kevin McCarthy (@Kevin McCarthy)1618793152.0

Also on Monday, the judge in the Chauvin trial excoriated Waters and other public officials for speaking about the trial in a disrespectful way that did not honor their pledge to defend the Constitution.

"I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case especially in a manner that is disrespectful to the rule of law, and to the judicial branch and our function," said Judge Peter Cahill, who called the comments "abhorrent."

Here are the comments from Waters:

Waters to demonstrators: 'Get more confrontational'www.youtube.com

Judge blasts Maxine Waters' 'abhorrent' comments and says they could lead to overturn of Derek Chauvin trial on appeal



The judge in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin blasted the incendiary comments from Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and said that they could lead to the overturn of the trial if the defense chose to appeal the ruling.

Chauvin is on trial for the death of George Floyd during an arrest on May 25 in Minneapolis. His attorney Eric Nelson argued Monday for a mistrial based on the fact that jurors were exposed to public comments because they had not been sequestered during the trial.

"It is so pervasive. I just don't know how this jury can really be said to be that they are free from the taint of this," Nelson said. "Now that we have U.S. representatives threatening acts of violence in relation to this specific case, it's mind-boggling to me, judge!"

"I will give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole trial being overturned," responded Judge Peter Cahill.

"I will give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result in this whole tri… https://t.co/6Oy4whNiTh
— Daily Caller (@Daily Caller)1618866809.0

Cahill did not grant the defense's request for a mistrial, but he went on to excoriate Waters for her comments.

"This goes back to what I've been saying from the beginning. I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case especially in a manner that is disrespectful to the rule of law, and to the judicial branch and our function," the judge said.

"I think if they want to give their opinions they should do so in a respectful and in a manner that is consistent with their oath to the Constitution to respect a coequal branch of government," he added.

"Their failure to do so is abhorrent!" he added.

Cahill went on to say that he did not believe the jury would be prejudiced by Waters' comments because they had been instructed to not watch television.

"A congresswoman's opinion really doesn't matter a whole lot. Anyway," Cahill said.

Waters has been castigated by many for the comments she made on Sunday in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, calling for more protests and telling protesters to "get more confrontational" over the trial of Chauvin.

Here are the judge's comments against Waters:

Judge Peter Cahill rips Rep. Maxine Waters for "abhorrent" comments over the weekend on the trial:

"I wish elected officials would stop talking about this case especially in a manner that is disrespectful to the rule of law." pic.twitter.com/8QHDXcmaTI
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 19, 2021