FEC Fines Maxine Waters Campaign $68,000

Rep. Maxine Waters' 2020 campaign committee, Citizens for Waters, agreed to pay a $68,000 fine after a Federal Election Commission investigation found multiple violations of federal campaign finance laws. The FEC determined the committee failed to accurately report receipts and disbursements, knowingly accepted $19,000 in excessive contributions, and made $7,000 in prohibited cash disbursements. The campaign did not deny the allegations, attributing the violations to limited staff and pandemic-related resource shortages. In response, the committee amended its financial reports, refunded or disgorged the excess contributions, and agreed to send its treasurer to FEC training. The settlement allows Waters' campaign to avoid court proceedings. Waters has previously faced ethical scrutiny regarding her finances.