Congressional sources have revealed that Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California will face an ethics trial later this year likely related to allegations that she sought to help OneUnited Bank receive federal bailout funds at a time when her husband owned stock in the bank and served on its board. OneUnited Bank is one of the nation’s largest minority-owned banks. Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel is also facing an upcoming trial for thirteen alleged violations of House ethics rules. Both Waters and Rangel are longtime members of the Congressional Black Caucus. The caucus has long complained that the House ethics process disproportionately targets African Americans in the chamber. The Los Angeles Times reports that since its 2009 inception, the Office of Congressional Ethics has investigated at least eight members of the black caucus.
