Washington — Speaker Mike Johnson will delay delivering the House's articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate this week after Republican senators requested more time Tuesday to build support for a full trial.
The first Cabinet secretary impeachment in 150 years was cast in doubt by the abrupt change of plans. House Republicans impeached Mayorkas in February to attack the Biden administration's southern border policy, but they delayed until they passed government funding legislation.
Johnson planned to send Senate impeachment charges Wednesday night. When Democrats controlled the senate and could quickly dismiss them, Senate Republicans requested Johnson to delay until next week. They wanted it to take longer.
Republicans said Tuesday that avoiding a full Senate trial would violate precedent, yet majority Senate Republicans did so when former President Donald Trump was impeached again for inciting an insurrection in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol incident. They failed to stop proceedings. Senate acquitted Trump.
Our members want to debate and vote on issues they want to raise,” said Republicans' second-ranking leader John Thune of South Dakota. Senators must serve as jurors the day after impeachment articles are delivered.
There is no reason for the Senate to forsake its obligation to pursue an impeachment trial, said Johnson's spokesperson Taylor Haulsee.Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer. D-N.Y., who labeled the impeachment drive a “sham,” said Democrats will move soon.
Whenever they are, we are ready. Following our plan. Schumer vowed swift action.“Impeachment should never be used to settle policy disagreements,” he told reporters Tuesday.House Republicans impeached Mayorkas for refusing to enforce legislation and lying to Congress about border security in two articles.
Democrats and some Republicans consider the claims a policy issue, not a crime.“Ultimately, I think it's virtually certain that someone will not be convicted when the constitutional test has not been met,” said Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.
Romney was unsure how he would vote on the Senate's process but said, “Mayorkas has done a terrible job, but he’s following the direction of the president and has not met the constitutional test of a high crime or misdemeanor.” Republicans want extensive debate on the Biden administration's southern border policy before elections.“Many Democrats may avoid voting. No need to blame them. This is Americans' #1 issue, Thune said.
Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, vying for reelection, termed the impeachment trial a “distraction” and blamed Republican senators for rejecting a bipartisan Mexican border crossing reduction agreement.Why not a bipartisan border deal instead of the first impeachment in 100 years? Brown said.
The only U.S. cabinet minister impeached before Mayorkas was War Secretary William Belknap in 1876. House found him to have taken kickbacks while managing federal contracts.Despite Belknap's resignation, Senate tried him. All five Belknap impeachment allegations failed to reach two-thirds majority.
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