MAX OUT
Kevin McCarthy blasts Maxine Waters for ‘believing there’s value in violence’ after Chauvin judge slams her riots call
KEVIN McCarthy has blasted Maxine Waters for "believing there is value in violence" after the judge in Derek Chauvin's murder trial slammed her call for riots.
The House Minority Leader claimed up to 15 Democrats could back his motion to censure the California Rep after she told Black Lives Matter protesters to be "more confrontational" if Chauvin is acquitted over the death of George Floyd.
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During an interview with on , McCarthy said: "Maxine Waters believes there's value in violence. And this isn't the first time she's done something like this.
"Remember what she said in the past administration, for people to get in their faces, to challenge everyone.
"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 behaviour."
The judge in the case, Peter Cahill, blasted Waters on Monday for what he described as an "abhorrent" intervention after her call for confrontation.
But Waters hit back and .
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Cahill told the court in Minneapolis that Waters' comments at a rally in the city on Saturday could even see a guilty verdict appealed and overturned - after ex-cop attorney argued the jury has been unduly influenced.
"I'm aware that Congresswoman Waters was talking specifically about this trial and about the unacceptability of anything less than a murder conviction and talk of being confrontational," said Cahill, who is presiding over Chauvin's trial.
"This goes back to what I've been saying in 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 in our function," he continued.
McCarthy said he believes there are "probably 10 to 15" Democrats who would vote for censure of Waters.
He added: "To have censure simply takes the majority of the house. But what could happen, if this was to pass, because of the Democrat's rules, she would lose her chairmanship at the financial services.
"So maybe then she would learn once and for all there is no value in violence."
McCarthy and Cahill's comments come after defense attorney Eric Nelson pushed for a mistrial after five hours of closing arguments, pointing to Waters' comments as well as heightened media attention as cause.
"Now that we have US representatives threatening acts of violence in relation to this trial it’s frankly mind-blowing," Nelson said.
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"I'll give you that Congresswoman Waters may have given you something on appeal that may result on this whole trial being overturned," Cahill responded to Nelson.
Speaking about elected officials in general, he said they should stay shtum, adding "their failure to do so is abhorrent, but I don't think it has prejudiced us with additional information that would prejudice the jury".
"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 co-equal branch of government."
Cahill had told the jury to avoid the news and all media regarding the trial, saying in all, he trusts jurors to follow his instructions and avoid all prejudice, but added at the end of the day, "a congresswoman's opinion really doesn't matter a whole lot".
Waters has been widely criticized after telling protesters to "stay on the street and get more active, more confrontational" if Chauvin is not found guilty.
However, she doubled down following Cahill's statement, saying "the judge says my words don't matter," so therefore she need not apologize.
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When by reporters while leaving the House floor if her remarks could be cause for her removal from Congress or for appeal, the 82-year-old retorted, "oh no, no they didn't".
She instead said she made the comments in the context of civil disobedience as a whole, saying protests are a symbolic and useful tool in achieving rights both then and now, adding "the whole civil rights movement is confrontation".
'DANGEROUS COMMENTS'
Following her comments, Republicans like , Lauren Boebert and denounced the representative, with
McCarthy tweeted: "This weekend in Minnesota, Maxine Waters broke the law by violating curfew and then incited violence.
"Speaker Pelosi is ignoring Waters’ behavior—that’s why I am introducing a resolution to censure Rep. Waters for these dangerous comments."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has since said , saying she did not incite violence, and instead likened what's being called of Waters to what needed to be called of Trump during the January 6 insurrection.
Pelosi's sentiment was echoed by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who said Waters "never meant violence... she's never advocated violence. She, she is passionate - she believes in her issues".
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When asked if Waters' comments were grounds for appeal, he added: "I don't think it is, but it concerns me."
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Waters made the comments while attending a protest in following the police-shooting of in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and the release of bodycam footage of the killing of 13-year-old Adam Toledo in Chicago.
Waters told the crowd of protesters in Minneapolis to continue fighting on the streets because it shows their cause is serious.
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