Joe Collins, a Navy veteran and South Los Angeles native who ran against Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., in November, argued on Monday that she must be removed from office because she is “very dangerous” and her actions and rhetoric are “absolutely irresponsible.”
Collins made the comments on “Fox & Friends” two days after Waters showed up at an anti-police brutality protest in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota and said demonstrators needed to “stay on the street” and demanded justice until police reform becomes a reality.
“I’m going to fight with all of the people who stand for justice,” Waters told reporters shortly before an 11 p.m. curfew. “We’ve got to get justice in this country and we cannot allow these killings to continue.”
Asked about the Derek Chauvin murder trial in Minneapolis, Waters told reporters if the former police officer isn’t found guilty of murdering George Floyd, “We’ve got to stay on the street and we’ve got to get more active, we’ve got to get more confrontational. We’ve got to make sure that they know that we mean business.”
Chauvin is accused of killing Floyd on May 25, 2020, by kneeling on Floyd’s neck for several minutes. Defense witnesses have spoken of Floyd’s health issues and drug use as other possible causes.
“Maxine Waters is a complete disgrace to the United States and to South L.A.,” Collins said.
“I took my team to Minneapolis after Mr. Floyd was killed and we led one of the most peaceful demonstrations that the city has ever seen and it left the city in peace,” he added.
Collins also noted that “the United States Constitution is absolutely clear on issues for elected officials getting involved in rallies like this that will be considered an insurrection.”
“Now we have to call on Congress to do their job,” he added. “It’s time to remove Maxine Waters from office.”
A spokesperson for Waters did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
However, speaking on MSNBC on Sunday, Waters attempted to explain her actions on Saturday night.
“We have to give support to our young people who are struggling and who are trying to make this justice system work for everybody,” she said. “They see their peers being killed.”
“Minneapolis in a great example of what’s wrong with the criminal justice system, what’s wrong with policing,” Waters continued. “I wanted to be there, kind of as auntie Maxine to show them that not only do I love them and I support them, but they can count on me to be with them at this terrible time in all of our lives.”
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Collins responded by saying, “This is not the type of leadership that the United States needs right now, which is why we are restarting our campaign to run against her in 2022.”
Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.