Ethics Panel Won't Release Counsel's Findings The House Ethics Committee says it will not make public an outside counsel's findings in an investigation of Rep. Maxine Waters, a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee. The committee said earlier this week it relied on the counsel's advice in rejecting the California Democrat's allegations of unfair treatment in the investigation. The committee can now turn to the key question in the case: whether Waters improperly tried to steer federal money to a bank where her husband is a shareholder. The outside counsel, Washington attorney Billy Martin, can earn up to $800,000 in taxpayer funds. His job initially was to investigate the committee's conduct in light of Waters' allegations, and he now will assist in the investigation of her actions. Waters has demanded release of Martin's findings.