After her daughter got more than $192,000 from her campaign cash to manage her “slate mailer” business, US Representative Maxine Waters is under fire once again.
According to Federal Election Commission reports, Karen Waters made $192,300 while managing her mother’s endorsement mailings between January 2021 and December 2022.
Popular California Democrat Waters is involved in the process of receiving cash to appear on the mailers, which is routine in the state but notably uncommon for federal legislators.
Karen has made more than $1.2 million since Water was given permission to operate the business in 2004, and detractors have continued to point out the apparent nepotism.
Karen receives payments ranging from $2,000 to $6,000 for management fees almost twice a month, according to the campaign records.
Karen reportedly got $81,650 in campaign donations over the course of 12 payments from October 23, 2020, to June 17, 2021.
The employment of members of one’s family by candidates or members of Congress is not prohibited by federal rules.
In order to prepare a brochure that names candidates or policy measures for each contender and instructs voters on how to cast their votes, a consulting business is engaged. Karen’s job in her mother’s campaign is to coordinate the slate mailing operation.
It’s customary in California, where Vice President Kamala Harris, Governor Gavin Newsom, and Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon have all appeared in mailings with Waters reaping the benefits.
According to federal documents, Harris used the mailings for the first time in 2010 when she donated $33,000 to Water’s campaign in her candidacy for California attorney general and again in 2014 when she ran for the Senate.
When Waters ran for lieutenant governor in 2010, Newsom gave his campaign $45,000, and Gascon received $36,500 for his 2020 run.
The congressman has justified her choice to pay other family members to assist on her campaign and hiring her daughter to handle her mailer operation on several occasions.
When the initial information regarding the campaign expenditures surfaced in 2004, she said, “They do their business and I do mine.” We do not behave badly.
Edward Jr., Karen Waters’ son, also received a cut of the earnings from the slate mail, and sometimes served as a consultant for the causes Waters supported.
»Maxine Waters in nepotism controversy after paying daughter $192,000«