Democratic Representative Maxine Waters, whose constituency encompasses Los Angeles, asserted during a NewsNation interview on Friday that her call for increased taxes on the wealthy in response to the devastating wildfires in the area is not a political maneuver.

In her discussion with host Chris Cuomo, Waters, who is a multimillionaire herself, justified her stance by stating that “services cost money,” highlighting the financial resources required to address the wildfires, despite the fact that residents of Los Angeles and California are already subject to some of the highest tax rates in the nation.

“I am not engaged in the blame game. I am not focused on whether Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is attempting to safeguard his political future or run for president; that is irrelevant,” Waters remarked to Cuomo.

“The primary point we must recognize is that services require funding, and we ought to ensure that the wealthiest individuals in this country, specifically the top 1% who are currently shielded, contribute their fair share of taxes so that we can secure the necessary resources to provide these services,” she stated.