Joe Collins Ordered to Pay Maxine Waters’ Legal Fees After Losing Lawsuit

Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters scored a legal victory one year after being sued by Republican Joe Collins. Not only did he lose the 2020 election to Waters, but now he has to pay up for wasting her time and money.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yolanda Orozco dismissed Collin’s libel and slander suit last month and ordered him to pay more than $53,000 in Waters’ attorneys’ fees, The Grio reports. The ruling came after Collin’s sued his political opponent during the 2020 election and accused her of releasing campaign materials and radio commercials falsely stating that the Navy veteran was dishonorably discharged, as noted by the Daily Breeze.

But on April 5, Judge Orozco found no evidence that Waters acted with malice against Collins. Waters responded by demanding more than $50,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs from the foe she defeated in the election.

“In the simplest of terms, Joe Collins has, once again, done what he does best — lose,” Waters said in a statement released on Tuesday. “After filing a baseless and frivolous lawsuit against me that went nowhere, it became even more clear that Joe Collins is not in this for the people of the 43rd Congressional District, but is instead in it for one person, and that person is himself.”

She continued.

“It has come to my attention that Joe Collins, the loser and serial lawsuit filer, has filed yet another lawsuit — this time naming myself, Los Angeles County and Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan as defendants and challenging the election results,” Waters said. “Doesn’t that sound like something we have heard before? Joe Collins is nothing more than a serial filer of lawsuits looking to attract media attention at any cost — in this case, that cost is $53,589.”

The California state rep, who has been in office since 1991, further blasted Collins for questioning the city of LA’s loyalty to the longtime politician.

“The fact is that the community is on my side because they know me and they understand that I am fighting for their best interest every single day,” Waters wrote. “The court is also on my side because the law is the law and I am on the right side of it.”