House Republicans Fail to Impeach DHS Sec. Mayorkas
Four Republicans voted no on the measure.
The House of Representatives failed to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after four Republicans split from the party and voted no.
They are:
1. Mike Gallagher (R-WI)
2. Tom McClintock (R-CA)
3. Ken Buck (R-CO)
4. Blake Moore (R-UT)
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise did not vote due to cancer treatment.
#BREAKING: U.S. House FAILS to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. pic.twitter.com/y3svJq8qSC
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 6, 2024
McClintock announced on the House floor he would not vote to impeach Mayorkas.
The California representative said the Homeland Security Committee did not “identify an impeachable crime that Mayorkas has committed.”
Instead, “they stretch and distort the Constitution in order to hold the administration accountable for stretching and distorting the law.”
Secretary Mayorkas is guilty of maladministration of our immigration laws on a cosmic scale. But we KNOW that’s not grounds for impeachment, because the American Founders specifically rejected it. pic.twitter.com/eSP6VXstNB
— Tom McClintock (@RepMcClintock) February 6, 2024
Buck wrote in The Hill he would not impeach Mayorkas for the same reasons he voted against impeaching former President Donald Trump:
However, the Constitution is clear that impeachment is reserved for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Maladministration or incompetence does not rise to what our founders considered an impeachable offense.
Partisan impeachments that do not meet the constitutional standard will boomerang back and hurt Republicans in the future. I can envision a future Republican administration where a Democrat-led House uses this precedent to act against a Republican Cabinet member who isn’t discharging their duties in a way that Democrats desire.
Buck admitted Mayorkas had failed and described him as incompetent and an embarrassment.
“And he will most likely be remembered as the worst secretary of Homeland Security in the history of the United States,” wrote Buck.
Moore’s reason:
A 4th Republican Blake Moore (UT) flipped to No at the end. The reason he did it was NOT because he opposed it. It was so Republicans could bring up a Motion to Reconsider so they could bring the impeachment resolution back up again for a later vote.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 6, 2024
Gallagher’s reason is similar to Buck’s reason.
INSIDE THE ROOM …. MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT …. Rep. MIKE GALLAGHER (R-Wis.) spoke in the closed GOP meeting and said Republicans argued against this type of thing when Trump was president. And this move by House Rs opens future Republican Cabinet secretaries to impeachment.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) February 6, 2024
The articles accuse Mayorkas of “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and “breach of public trust.”
The articles detail the immigration laws Mayorkas has allegedly violated and explain why the GOP thinks Mayorkas misled Congress and obstructed the GOP investigation.
The Republicans claim:
Throughout his tenure as Secretary of Homeland Se11 curity, Alejandro N. Mayorkas has repeatedly violated laws enacted by Congress regarding immigration and border security. In large part because of his unlawful conduct, millions of aliens have illegally entered the United States on an annual basis with many unlawfully remaining in the United States. His refusal to obey the law is not only an offense against the separation of powers in the Constitution of the United States, it also threatens our national security and has had a dire impact on communities across the country. Despite clear evidence that his willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law has significantly contributed to unprecedented levels of illegal entrants, the increased control of the Southwest border by drug cartels, and the imposition of enormous costs on States and localities affected by the influx of aliens, Alejandro N. Mayorkas has continued in his refusal to comply with the law, and thereby acted to the grave detriment of the interests of the United States.
Honestly, I agreed with Constitutional Law professor Jonathan Turley when he explained why the Republicans do not have a case.
Last week, on Fox News, Steve Doocy asked Turley if Mayorkas has committed any of the factors used for impeachment: treason, bribery, high crimes, or misdemeanors.
From Mediaite:
“I don’t think they have established any of those bases for impeachment,” Turley replied. “The fact is, impeachment is not for being a bad cabinet member or even a bad person. It is a very narrow standard.”
He then explained how the framers of the Constitution rejected terms like “maladministration” to avoid this very thing. “Past Congresses have recognized that there’s a danger to this once you cross the Rubicon and start to remove cabinet members because they’re not doing a good job.”
“I just don’t believe that they have a cognizable basis here for impeachment,” Turley concluded. However, he did agree with Republican criticism of what he called President Joe Biden’s “open border.”
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Comments
Of course
It why bring it to a vote if you don’t have the votes?
Well, better to know your enemies
So you can say you tried to do something in an election year then go out and campaign on it.
Moore voted no so they could bring it to the floor again next week. It would have ended in a tie, which means it would have been a no impeachment vote.
Reports are that Rep. Blake Moore only voted no in order to preserve the right to ask for a motion to reconsider. If he had voted yes, the impeachment would still have failed by 1 vote. Because a motion to reconsider must come from a dissenting member, Moore voted no so that as a dissenter, he could force a vote to reconsider. But that still leaves us one vote short unless Buck, Gallagher, or McClintock, can be “persuaded” to flip. That’s my understanding of the situation as it stands now.
Correction: If Moore had voted yes the result would have been a tie, so no impeachment. Republicans still need to find a vote
Scalise. He’ll be back early next week. He’s off this week for cancer treatment.
Ah, I see, Thanks
How much you wanna bet this was scheduled today just because of Scalise, and that it will never come up again? Lets the Rs go back to their district and whine, “Well, we TRIED.”
While I understand the skepticism, I don’t think that’s the case. In fact, there’s some reporting at this late hour that another vote might come as early as this week, maybe even tomorrow if Scalise can make it back. I’m not sure if he was intending to be here today but couldn’t make it. I hope it was that rather than a complete failure to plan by the Speaker.
For the record, Anna Paulina Luna asserts that a vote to reconsider WILL be held next week. Not that, as a long suffering conservative, I don’t share your skepticism
So, the impeachment will go through when Scalise gets back 216-215. Okay. That makes this fine … though those three GOPers are still the lowest of the low.
I count only Moore and Scalise which would result in a tie. Where are you getting the other vote from?
It’s 214-216, now. Moore flips his vote to get back to the 215-215 tie and Scalise’s vote makes it 216-215. Impeachment is going to pass.
Perhaps a shot across the bow as a warning?
Did the Professional Republicans learn anything from either the Tea Party or Trump? They will be pulled kicking and screaming from their nice, warm money pits in DC
I is amazing how Dems have managed to create gridlock to facilitate hoke and crook. .
‘However, the Constitution is clear that impeachment is reserved for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” Maladministration or incompetence does not rise to what our founders considered an impeachable offense‘
Appreciate an attempt at principles here – but there is such a thing criminal gross negligence and depraved indifference that could easily apply here
Given the deaths that have been caused and sexual trafficking of children he had enabled …
… the he is guilty if not as a criminal co-conspirator than as grossly negligent contributor to many Americans injury and death.
Yeah, I wouldn’t lose an ounce of sleep over voting to impeach this guy and I think it can be done in a principled way.
Even if they did impeach him, the Dems control the Senate nothing would come of it.
We al know that. But the indictment is a black mark all on its own.
And it allows the Republicans to push all sorts of things out in front of people who would never see them otherwise because no press outfit is going to refuse to cover an impeachment trial
The leveraging of illegal immigration to permanently seize power of the country would seem to be more than negligence. Yes…yes… eventually it will be legalized but the underpinnings are willful.
This ain’t maladministration, the asshole purposely disobeyed the law as written.
Exactly … I think that’s a key point I failed to make.
He’s not incompetent … he’s competently and intentionally destructive. And guilty of perjury since he took an oath and clearly lied when he did that.
None of these votes are “surprises” to anyone but us. This is all staged. They knew who was going to vote what before they ever hit the floor. Just Theater.
“Partisan impeachments that do not meet the constitutional standard will boomerang back and hurt Republicans in the future.”
You moron, have you been asleep for the past six years? It’s been done!
“Republicans argued against this type of thing when Trump was president.”
And were steamrolled anyway. So are you going to do something, or are you just going to stand there and bleed?
“I can envision a future Republican administration where a Democrat-led House uses this precedent to act against a Republican Cabinet member who isn’t discharging their duties in a way that Democrats desire.”
You’re a dumbass if you think they NEED your precedent. When they want to do it, they will do it, regardless of what you do today. They will simply say yes to what you said no to today.
Republicans play by Marquis of Queensbury rules, while Democrats play Calvinball. Republicans always lose.
In the constitution, there’s a single escape hatch from Marquis of Queensberry rules… and if it ever comes to using that, milquetoast Republicans will have only themselves to blame.
And it’s baloney anyway because I think the case for legal misconduct is there … it’s just cowardice on the part of Republicans.
His performance is so singularly purposely destructive, leading to so much crime, sex trafficking, assaults and deaths directly with his fingerprints on it that it any moral clarity requires you to vote for impeachment.
Do any of these dweebs have primary challengers? If so, please post links. I want to help finance the challenges.
On that note: If you feel like donating, donate to individual candidates’ campaigns. NEVER donate to the GOP at large.
Giving to the GOP helps finance Establishment/Swamp RINOs. None of that money will go to actual conservative candidates.
Spoiler: Trump *is* the Establishment *and* the Swamp.
Ronna McDaniel has informed Trump that she is soon to be out as RNC Chairman, according Maggie Haberman citing sources in Trump World (which she does have, including Trump himself). I can’t say that I remember a major party chairman leaving their leadership position just as a presidential election gets underway. She should have resigned in disgrace immediately following the Midterm disaster, IMO.
https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1755029236354605499
Confirmed. That makes two Romneys. Things are looking up.
Don’ worry, I’m sure they’ll find someone even more incompetent at everything aside from ability to be a bootlicker.
Yeah, you argued against this type of thing. And the Democrats did it anyway.
Stop pretending that things work the way you WANT them to work, enough with this nonsense of ‘Democrats do it but MUH PRINCIPLES prevent us from ever doing it against them’.
Now, on the plus side, all of the Democrats have been forced into a vote to keep Mr ‘The Border Is Secure!’, so now it can be used against them if they try to BS about illegal immigration in the upcoming election.
Mostly agree. IMO while we must be wary of ‘becoming the monster to defeat the monster’ there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the same tactics as our opponents. They obviously don’t have any moral qualms about use of the tactics b/c they began it. Those on ‘our side’ who seek to hamstring the rest of us need to decide what is more important: the victory of our opponents and far greater long-term damage that will do or the responsive use of tactics already deployed by our opponents.
Hope it’s true. Harmeet Dhillon has my vote. Also, just a reminder that one of the “no” votes for Mayorkas’ impeachment, Ken Buck, will not be seeking re-election in 2024. I think it’s old news. I don’t follow Colorado politics that closely. But as a conservative, Buck was (is) all over the map. Sometimes very conservative, but always, like so many Repubs, never reliable. Trump called him a “super-RINO”.
These 4 Republicans are complete pieces of s**t. McClintock gave an utterly retarded floor speech trying to justify his backstabbing idiocy.
What vermin. Despicable turds.
I stand corrected via Moore’s vote.
3 despicable PsOS. May they rot in hell.
How is it “backstabbing” when he’s been saying what his standards for impeachment are upfront for quite some time now? Representatives are not just rubber stamps for anyone and they ought to exercise their own judgement.
While Democrat representatives are all rubber stamps, and anyone exercising their own judgment gets cancelled. FIFY.
Tell that to the Dems who always vote 100% for whatever they are told to.
I expected nothing less.
Headline: Republicans, who lost the house in a year that should have been a red wave, cant even convince enough of their own party to remove a total disgrace from office. Yet somehow these same people believe Trump will carry the swing states he lost in 2024.
They don’t want Trump to win either, so only fools would follow what they want. TRUMP 2024!!
Orchestrating an invasion of America by the third world easily flies over that hurdle.
McClintock is a disingenuous retarded traitor.
THIS ^^^^ Times 350,000,000.
The worst Secretary
So far.
I don’t know; I had one who could barely type.
Proving once again the unshakeable unity of the Republican party, especially under the inspiring vision of their glorious leader Whatsisname.
I swear to God those idiots could screw up a wet dream
Gallagher is a moron. Trump was innocent. They were impeaching him over BS – both times – and even so he was innocent of what they alleged. Mayorkas is guilty … guilty of treason. … which is pretty serious stuff.
I hate idiots.
McClintock made a very good point in the video clip posted. A cabinet secretary serves the president, so it is wrong to impeach him for faithfully carrying out his president’s policy.
LOL. “Just following orders” …
Yeah … great defense.
They’re both traitors, conspiring to orchestrate this invasion of America. They aren’t the only ones, either.
If Mayorkas disagreed with any of the treasonous orders perpetrating this attack on America then he could just … you know … resign.
McClintock is a retarded POS.
Meh.
Make it known that serving the Usurper faithfully is a career killer, and the Usurper gets sandbarred.
I disagree to the point that both of them should be impeached for refusing to follow the law. Mayorkas should resign instead of breaking the law.
Our government is betraying us.
Mayorkas should be impeached, and the reasoning for this is indisputable. If the House members had integrity, the vote to impeach him would have been unanimous.
RINOs need to be primaried.
McClintock is, and has been for decades now, a hardcore conservative who is one of the few politicians who has earned the benefit of the doubt in my opinion. He’s been consistent and steadfast, and far less a RINO than most of the GOP conference.
The problem is the leadership who feel forced to engage in performative drama of “doing something”, including futile gestures like this attempt at impeachment.
Pushing this for a vote when you didn’t have the votes is a sign of incompetent leadership. Even if they did impeach him, he’d never be convicted. The only justification would be to frame the trial in such a way as to reach out to and inform moderate median voters. But let’s face it, that wasn’t going to happen, because any such trial in the Senate would be focused solely on trying to convince that vocal part of the base that they wuv them, which would alienate those moderate median voters the GOP has been purging from the party by their antics.
The House this current Congress has been nothing but performative theater that shows the incompetence of its leadership that cares less about doing anything of value and more about ginning up their own districts GOP base in order to fundraise and keep their phony-baloney jobs.
They have the votes. That’s what this showed. When Scalise returns next week and votes and Moore flips back to his “Yes” vote the impeachment will pass, as it well should.
To be quite frank, I would accept an endorsement from you for any Republican no sooner than I would accept one from the New York Times.
Will they ever get together and do something valuable?
The Feckless R’s are being Feckless. Beyond execution, they forget The Iron Lady’s Rule: First you win the argument, then you win the vote.
The Feckless R’s have been ranting at the converted about DHS-guy’s policy discretion. They need a to be convincing the undecided he’s unequivocally violating black letter law everybody cares about.
— At what point does overt refusal to apply the law as written become a “high crime” or “misdemeanor.” Same question about politicized discretion?
— What are the common knowledge facts on the ground?
I kind of see their point, though, since it’s Biden who should be impeached (what the “no” voters said), not one of his appointees doing what he wants. That they are too feckless to impeach Biden is worth getting our fur ruffled, this? It’s not on Mayorkas, it’s on Biden. The buck stops at the big desk in the Oval.
I don’t buy the CYA.
If what Biden wants is wrong, then doing what Biden wants is equally wrong.
Help me here.
Am I correct that The Feckless R’s majority got more slim when they booted one of their own out of office, for sleaze above and beyond the call of public service?
Meanwhile, The Screaming D’s have declined to address their Senator GoldPockets issue,which would flip their “majority. of tie-breaker” allowing Chuck-Y Schumer to run the Senate with an iron fist. The Senate’s 50/50. Chuck-y is “majority leader” only because any deadlock, VP Cackles shows up and votes D.
Meanwhile, meanwhile, I seem to recall proclamations of collegial rule, and accommodation in the Senate, because of the barely there procedural majority. Surprising no one, that’s not how they’re acting.
Yes, You’ve just described the result of playing Marquis of Queensbury v. Calvinball.
Once there was a “Know Nothing” party. Now we have the “Do Nothings”.
Happy just to keep their ridiculously cushy jobs w cadillac health plans and all expenses paid, they make some token gesture of resistance and say “Aw, well we tried like heck, we’ll get ’em next time”
No “red wave” was ever gonna save us.