House tables resolution to censure Maxine Waters over remarks about Chauvin trial

Democrats narrowly defeated a resolution brought by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Tuesday to censure Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters, after she encouraged protesters in Minnesota to "stay on the street" and "get more confrontational" if they don't see a guilty verdict returned in the Derek Chauvin trial regarding the death of George Floyd. 

The House voted to table the resolution 216 to 210 along party lines. This was a victory for House Democratic leadership, since they could afford just two Democratic defections on the vote. There were zero defections on either side, with all Democrats present voting to table and all Republicans voting to move forward. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer were spotted by the doors of the chamber talking to members as they entered, indicating how important Democratic leadership considered the vote.  Following the vote, Waters said, "I love my colleagues and they love me. I don't want to do anything to hurt them or hurt their chances for reelection. I will make sure that they are comfortable with my kind of advocacy so that we can all be sure that we can do the right thing."