The campaign of longtime California Rep. Maxine Waters has agreed to pay a $68,000 civil penalty after federal investigators found multiple violations of election laws during the 2020 cycle.
According to newly released documents from the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Waters’ campaign committee — Citizens for Waters — was found to have failed to properly report receipts and disbursements, accepted excessive contributions, and issued prohibited cash payments, all in violation of federal law.
Rather than face litigation, Waters’ team entered into a binding agreement with the FEC to settle the matter. Along with paying the hefty fine, the committee will send its treasurer to an FEC-sponsored training program within one year. Proof of attendance will be required.
The FEC’s investigation uncovered that between 2019 and 2020, the campaign accepted $19,000 in improper donations from seven individuals, far exceeding the $2,800 limit per donor. While the committee eventually refunded the excess amounts, it did so in an “untimely” manner, the documents state.
In addition, the campaign made four prohibited cash disbursements exceeding $100 each, totaling $7,000, a violation of campaign finance rules designed to ensure transparency.
The committee, through its legal counsel, claimed that these were unintentional errors and not part of any deliberate wrongdoing. Attorney Leilani Beaver told the FEC that Waters’ campaign had hired legal experts and implemented safeguards to avoid future infractions.
Waters, a powerful voice among House Democrats and the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, has served in Congress since 1991. This is not her first brush with campaign finance scrutiny.
In 2023, a Fox News Digital investigation revealed that Waters’ campaign paid her daughter $192,300 for running a slate mailer operation between 2021 and 2022 — a practice that has also drawn past criticism.
The latest developments were first reported by OpenSecrets, a watchdog group that tracks money in politics.