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House formally charges California Rep. Waters

WASHINGTON — The House ethics committee yesterday charged Rep. Maxine Waters with three violations, including requesting federal help for a bank in which her husband owned stock and on whose board he had served.

Waters (D-Calif.), a 10-term representative from LA, has denied any wrongdoing. She had urged the committee to come forth with details of the charges so she can defend herself at trial.

That trial would be the second handled by the committee this fall. The first will involve Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Harlem), the former Ways and Means Committee chairman. He faces 13 counts, including failing to disclose assets and income and delayed payment of federal taxes.

The Waters case revolves around whether she helped OneUnited Bank obtain federal bailout funds in late 2008. Her husband, Sidney Williams, was on OneUnited’s board of directors from January 2004 until April 2008.