Waters Press Conference Not Good For Democrats, Says Republican Official

Did Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) help her party by holding a press conference this morning to tell reporters how she plans on defending herself this fall against ethics charges? Republicans say no.

“It further exemplifies and illustrates the ethical problems that continue to pervade throughout the Democratic caucus,” NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay told me following Waters’ 90-minute session.

Lindsay added that the decision by Waters and fellow House Democrat Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) to argue their cases in public this week “is not something Democrats want this August.”

Speaker Boehner?

Politico is reporting today that House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is positioning himself to be the face of the GOP ahead of this fall’s midterm elections. Boehner, along with help from the NRCC, recently launched a “Boehner for Speaker” fundraising committee. Of course, his party will have to win back the majority in the House in November in order for Boehner to wrestle the gavel from current Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).