Rep. Maxine Waters’ 2020 campaign committee, Citizens for Waters, has agreed to pay a fine of $68,000 following an investigation conducted by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that uncovered multiple violations of campaign finance regulations.
Official records reveal that the committee failed to accurately report its financial transactions, accepted contributions that exceeded permissible limits, and made unlawful cash payments.
The agreement established with the FEC allows both parties to avoid litigation and requires the campaign treasurer to attend a training session.
The investigation found that during the years 2019 and 2020, the campaign improperly accepted $19,000 in donations from seven individuals, which exceeded the federal limit of $2,800 per individual. Although the campaign eventually returned the excess funds, this action was not executed in a timely manner.
Additionally, the FEC noted that the campaign made four illegal cash payments, each exceeding $100, totaling $7,000. Waters’ team claimed that it sought legal advice and took corrective actions to ensure future compliance.