The Housing and Urban Development Department disputed Rep. Maxine Waters‘s (D-CA) claim that she was denied entry to its headquarters Monday.
HUD is fresh from laying off a swath of its employees. As a result, Waters led another protest against further cuts with advocates for affordable housing gathering outside the department’s building in Washington, D.C. Waters had planned to confront HUD Secretary Scott Turner about the matter.
“We came to deliver a letter to him, but they wouldn’t let us do it. We were stopped by someone who said he was a chief of staff and someone else who didn’t identify himself, and they said he was too busy. I said I’m prepared to stay here until hell freezes over,” Waters told reporters outside. “They’re canceling fair housing funding and civil rights.”
“This is what a political stunt looks like: Maxine Waters was not denied entry. The Congresswoman spoke with HUD senior leadership,” Turner’s press office wrote in an X post. “Waters watched President Trump accomplishments video in lobby. Waters asked senior leadership to say she was being denied. She departed.”
This is what a political stunt looks like:
— Sec. Turner Press Office (@SecTurnerPress) March 3, 2025
1️⃣ Maxine Waters was not denied entry
2️⃣The Congresswoman spoke with HUD senior leadership
3️⃣Waters watched President Trump accomplishments video in lobby‼️
4️⃣Waters asked senior leadership to say she was being denied
5️⃣She departed https://t.co/2NfuKkp0Wr
The letter comes from the House Committee on Financial Services, which Waters chairs. Democratic members on the committee cited concerns that staff from the Department of Government Efficiency “come from the very industries that stand to gain from the dismantling of the federal government’s role in housing and consumer protections.” Among them are property technology company KunKun Chief Operating Officer Scott Langmack and private fund TCC Asset Management LLC managing member Michael Mirski.
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One video circulating on X showed these senior officials explaining to Waters that Turner was in a meeting at the time she entered. Waters responded by saying she was willing to “stay all night.” The officials offered to deliver the letter on her behalf.
This follows a protest outside the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. when Democratic lawmakers attempted to enter the building but were barred. This time, they included Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), who joined Waters as she became testy with the security guards there.