California Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters, who serves as the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, got into a verbal sparring match with a GOP lawmaker during a hearing that took place on Tuesday as her panel leadership begins to draw to a close. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I will be glad to see her gone from that position.
The hearing was put together in order to talk about the recent collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange known as FTX, which ended up costing its customers billions of dollars. Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO, was scheduled to deliver testimony before the committee, but was indicted by the Justice Department Tuesday morning on charges — including fraud — filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“I would like to enter into the record the closing statements from Ranking Member [Patrick] McHenry [R-N.C.] and myself,” Waters went on to state at one point, trying to close out the meeting.
However, it seems that Waters neglected to call on Rep. Lance Goodwin, a Texas Republican, the Conservative Brief reported.
“Chairwoman Waters, Chairwoman Waters,” Gooden said. “I’ve not had an opportunity to testify–to question the witness.”
“At that point, an aide whispered something into her ear, but then the California Democrat thanked the witness in what appeared to be another attempt to close out the meeting, which prompted another objection from Goodwin,” the report continued.
“Chairwoman Waters,” he pressed. “Parliamentary inquiry?”
“Yes?” she replied.
“Are all members entitled to question witnesses?” he asked the chairwoman.
“You are!” she shot back, making the suggestion that lengthening the hearing further would cause members to miss a vote. “If you would like to miss the votes on the floor for–”
“Hey, it’s the chairwoman’s prerogative to call a recess,” Gooden said in protest.
“Just one moment, please!” Waters fumed.
“That’s your decision, not mine,” Goodwin said once again.
“You may go right ahead and have five minutes,” Waters said.
“Thank you, Madam Chair,” stated the Texas Republican as he then started to ask the witness a few questions.
“You’re certainly welcome, sir!” Waters responded.
Lmfao Rep. Maxine Waters tried to end the FTX hearing before Rep. @Lancegooden got a chance to question the witnesses, who had to remind her that all the members of a committee are entitled to questions. pic.twitter.com/wYTxSsLVg3
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 13, 2022
“Bankman-Fried was charged with eight counts of criminal actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission that included conspiracy and wire fraud after allegedly misappropriating billions of dollars in customer funds before the collapse of his $30 billion crypto empire,” the Conservative Brief reported.
The indictment from the government, which was unsealed on Tuesday morning, charges Bankman-Fried with conspiring to “to defraud customers of FTX.com by misappropriating those customers’ deposits and using those deposits to pay expenses and debts of Alameda Research.”
The list of charges includes conspiring to commit wire fraud on the company’s customers and lenders, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, securities fraud, and also money laundering.
“But some of the most serious charges are conspiracy to defraud the United States and violations of campaign finance laws after becoming the second-largest donor to Democrats during the 2020 election cycle,” the report revealed.
Maxine Waters is kind of like a bad fungus. Just when you think you’re about to get rid of her, she comes back again and again. Maybe, since the Republicans are taking control of the House, we’ll hear less and less from her. It’s well past her time to retire.