House ethics panel outlines charges against Waters

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U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) speaks at a news conference in Washington, DC on February 12, 2009. Waters has been charged with ethical violations.

The House ethics committee has formally charged California Democrat Maxine Waters with three counts of ethics wrongdoing, including charges that she accepted special favors for a family member.

The announcement of the charges opens the way for a trial this fall before eight members of the ethics committee - four Democrats and four Republicans.

Waters, a 10-term representative from Los Angeles who holds a senior position on the Financial Services Committee, has denied the charges. The committee denied her motion to dismiss the charges.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.