Rep. Maxine Waters defends work with banksThe Los Angeles congresswoman denies having influence over Bush administration officials in the Treasury Department and the issuing of bailout funds to OneUnited Bank. By Richard Simon and E. Scott Reckard 11:11 AM PDT, March 13, 2009 Reporting from Los Angeles and Washington -- Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) today defended her efforts to help minority-owned banks -- including one with ties to her husband - survive the financial crisis, and scoffed at the notion that she could sway the Bush administration's actions. "Although both my supporters and detractors often refer to me as...