Democrats kill resolution to censure Maxine Waters over her comments encouraging protesters to 'get more confrontational'

Democrats successfully killed a resolution Tuesday to censure Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) over comments she made calling on protesters to "get more confrontational" if the Derek Chauvin trial didn't go their way.

The motion was tabled by a partisan vote of 216 to 210 on Tuesday just ahead of the verdict in the case being announced.

Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called for the censure resolution after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused to condemn the comments and defended Waters instead.

"Chairwoman Waters' actions are beneath the dignity of this institution," tweeted McCarthy on Tuesday.

"They raised the potential for violence, directed lawlessness, and may have interfered with a co-equal branch of government. I just introduced this censure resolution to hold her accountable," he wrote, with the text of the resolution added.

Waters made the comments while joining protesters on Sunday at Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

"Well, we got to stay on the street," Waters said to protesters. "And we've got to get more active. You've got to get more confrontational. You got to make sure that they know we mean business."

She also said she disagreed with authorities setting city curfews in order to curtail rioting.

"I don't know what curfew means," Waters continued. "Curfew means that I want you all to stop talking. I want you to stop meeting. I want you stop gathering. I don't agree with that."

Many saw the comments as inciting violence among protesters, while others said that the comments were in line with the peaceful but confrontational protests of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

When Pelosi was confronted about the comments, she said that Waters should not apologize for what she said.

Earlier on Monday a Fox News report said that some Democrat lawmakers were so angered by Waters' comments that they were willing to support a censure resolution. No Democrat voted for the motion.

Chauvin was found guilty of all charges in the death of George Floyd. He could face as many as 40 years in prison for the charges.

Here's more about the verdict in the Chauvin case:

Watch: Chauvin Declared Guilty On All Counts In Death Of George Floyd | NBC Newswww.youtube.com