Congresswoman Calls for FBI Investigation in Richardson Case
U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) has written to FBI Director Robert Mueller requesting an investigation into the disappearance of Mitrice Richardson and the circumstances of her arrest and release from the sheriff’s department.
Richardson, who lives in the South L.A. area represented by Waters, was arrested by September for not paying her dinner bill at a Malibu restaurant. She was released from custody in the early hours of September 17 and has only been seen once since then, early the next morning.
Waters is a member of House Judiciary Committee, which has oversight of the FBI.
She stated that she believed the FBI’s involvement was warranted, noting that the agency was responsible for investigating “cases implicating federal criminal or civil rights statutes.”
The Congresswoman is well known for her charges of racism and controversial comments, including calling for the “Tea Bag” protesters to be interviewed to uncover their racist views and branding opponents of health care reform as “Neanderthals.”
She characterized the 1992 Los Angeles riots as a “somewhat understandable … rebellion” and was this year named by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington as one of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress.
