Congresswoman Linda Sanchez joins House Ethics Committee in turmoil over Maxine Waters case

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Rep. Linda Sanchez of Lakewood has been tapped as the top Democrat on the House Ethics Committee, joining the panel as it wrestles with how to proceed with an ethics case against her California Democratic colleague, Rep. Maxine Waters of Los Angeles.

Sanchez replaces Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San Jose as the ranking member of the panel, evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.

‘I recognize the important role this committee plays in ensuring that the citizens’ faith and confidence in their elected leaders is never in doubt,’ she said in a statement. ‘It is my goal to make certain that all who work in Congress do so in accordance with our system of rules, and that we remember that in order to protect and preserve our democracy, we must maintain these standards of conduct.’

She will come to the committee with the case against Waters in turmoil. The South Los Angeles political fixture is accused of intervening improperly on behalf of OneUnited Bank, on whose board her husband served and in which he owned stocked. She has denied wrongdoing.

But the case against her has been marked by strife within the committee. Two committee lawyers who worked on the probe were placed on administrative leave for reasons committee leaders have never explained, though they reportedly clashed with the committee’s then-Democratic chairwoman, Lofgren.

The committee decided to conduct a further investigation of the charges because of ‘materials discovered that may have had an effect’ on the initial inquiry.

Since Waters’ trial, originally scheduled for November, was indefinitely delayed, Republicans have won control of the House. Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) is now chairman.

Waters has contended the delays underscore the weak case against her.

-- Richard Simon in Washington