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Representative Maxine Waters, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump, has compared him to Los Angeles gang members, saying the Crips and Bloods have "more integrity" than he does.

Her criticism came as the California congresswomen appeared on Showtime's Desus & Mero for Thursday's episode.

"This guy is a street player," Ms Waters said about the president. "He's a guy that has conned folks. He's flirted with gangsters."

She continued: "I have worked in some of the toughest communities. I've worked with gangs, I've worked with Crips, I've worked with Bloods. And there's more integrity in many of these young people in the hood than this man has.

"This is a flawed character, and I've never seen anything like this."

The Crips and the Bloods are notorious rival gangs in the Los Angeles area who've been prominent for decades. Both are still active.

Ms Waters also recently attacked the president after he expressed interest in commuting the jail sentence for his political ally Roger Stone, with the representative comparing Mr Trump to a "mafia boss".

"Trump using AG Barr to get his criminal friends out of jail is the tip of the iceberg," she tweeted. "I'll say it again: Trump will pardon Flynn, Manafort, & Stone b/c the GOP cowards in the Sen bowed to his feet. Repubs now stand for crime, corruption, autocracy, & Russia! They are PATHETIC!"

On Thursday a judge sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison for witness tampering and lying to Congress. Mr Trump has backed down from commuting his sentence, so far, although he has continued to insist he has the right to if he chooses.

But this didn't stop the president from offering clemency to 11 political allies this week.

.@desusnice and @THEKIDMERO visited U.S. @RepMaxineWaters to learn about her illustrious career in government and how she became "America's auntie."#DESUSandMERO pic.twitter.com/0OTa4hf9Gz — DESUS & MERO on SHOWTIME (@SHODesusAndMero) February 21, 2020

Ms Waters also expressed her concerns with the Democratic primary and current candidate choices.

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"I think now it boils down to all of us wanting someone that we feel comfortable can really beat Trump. This country cannot tolerate another four years of him," she said. "I have not endorsed anybody, and I'm going to wait until after South Carolina."

The South Carolina Democratic primary is on 29 February.

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