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| US Senate expected to quickly dismiss impeachment charges against Mayorkas | US Senate expected to quickly dismiss impeachment charges against Mayorkas |
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| House Republicans accuse homeland security secretary of failing to enforce border laws, but Schumer calls charges ‘beneath dignity of the Senate’ | |
| The US Senate is expected Wednesday to quickly dismiss the impeachment brought by Republicans against Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, with the top Democrat calling the charges an “illegitimate and profane abuse of the US Constitution”. | The US Senate is expected Wednesday to quickly dismiss the impeachment brought by Republicans against Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, with the top Democrat calling the charges an “illegitimate and profane abuse of the US Constitution”. |
| After the Senate convened as a court of impeachment, Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, said he would move to dismiss the impeachment charges, effectively ending the proceedings with only limited debate. | |
| “It is beneath the dignity of the Senate to entertain this nakedly partisan exercise,” Schumer said, explaining his decision in floor speech on Wednesday. | |
| Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri immediately objected to Schumer’s proposal, accusing the Democratic leader of “setting our constitution ablaze” by seeking to turn away House Republicans’ prosecution of Mayorkas. | |
| House Republican impeachment managers on Tuesday presented two articles of impeachment to the Senate. They accused the secretary of failing to enforce US border laws and breaching the public trust with his statements to Congress about unusually high levels of migration to the US southern border with Mexico. | House Republican impeachment managers on Tuesday presented two articles of impeachment to the Senate. They accused the secretary of failing to enforce US border laws and breaching the public trust with his statements to Congress about unusually high levels of migration to the US southern border with Mexico. |
| Joe Biden has said he continues to have confidence in Mayorkas, who has denied wrongdoing throughout the process. | Joe Biden has said he continues to have confidence in Mayorkas, who has denied wrongdoing throughout the process. |
| “As they work on impeachment, I work in advancing the missions of the Department of Homeland Security. That’s what I’ve done throughout this process,” Mayorkas said on Wednesday during an appearance on CBS to discuss a new federal initiative to combat online abuse of children. | “As they work on impeachment, I work in advancing the missions of the Department of Homeland Security. That’s what I’ve done throughout this process,” Mayorkas said on Wednesday during an appearance on CBS to discuss a new federal initiative to combat online abuse of children. |
| Constitutional scholars, including conservative legal experts, have said the Republicans’ impeachment case is deeply flawed and based on a policy dispute with the Biden administration that fails to meet the bar of “high crimes and misdemeanors” outlined in the constitution. Democrats have dismissed the charges as election-year political theater designed to draw attention to the situation at the border, one of the president’s biggest liabilities. | Constitutional scholars, including conservative legal experts, have said the Republicans’ impeachment case is deeply flawed and based on a policy dispute with the Biden administration that fails to meet the bar of “high crimes and misdemeanors” outlined in the constitution. Democrats have dismissed the charges as election-year political theater designed to draw attention to the situation at the border, one of the president’s biggest liabilities. |
| “The impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas has nothing to do with high crimes and misdemeanors and everything to do with helping Donald Trump on the campaign trail,” Schumer added on Wednesday. | “The impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas has nothing to do with high crimes and misdemeanors and everything to do with helping Donald Trump on the campaign trail,” Schumer added on Wednesday. |
| He charged Republicans instead to join Democrats in passing the bipartisan border bill they derailed at Trump’s behest. | He charged Republicans instead to join Democrats in passing the bipartisan border bill they derailed at Trump’s behest. |
| Some Senate Republicans have expressed deep skepticism of the impeachment effort. But conservatives have cried foul and are preparing to deploy a series of procedural tactics in an effort to delay the vote ending the trial without arguments. | Some Senate Republicans have expressed deep skepticism of the impeachment effort. But conservatives have cried foul and are preparing to deploy a series of procedural tactics in an effort to delay the vote ending the trial without arguments. |
| “What Senator Schumer is going to do is fatuous, it is fraudulent and it is an insult to the Senate and a disservice to every American citizen,” said John Kennedy, Republican Senator of Louisiana, at a press conference on Tuesday. | “What Senator Schumer is going to do is fatuous, it is fraudulent and it is an insult to the Senate and a disservice to every American citizen,” said John Kennedy, Republican Senator of Louisiana, at a press conference on Tuesday. |
| By a single vote, House Republicans impeached Mayorkas in February for his handling of the US-Mexico border. It was the first time in nearly 150 years that a cabinet secretary was impeached. | By a single vote, House Republicans impeached Mayorkas in February for his handling of the US-Mexico border. It was the first time in nearly 150 years that a cabinet secretary was impeached. |
| But Mike Johnson delayed the transfer of the articles for several weeks, initially to allow the chambers more time to complete work on government funding legislation. Upon returning from a two-week recess, the House speaker again postponed the transfer at the request of Senate Republicans, who requested more time to prepare. | |
| The proceedings began at 1pm, when Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa, administered the oath of office to the Senate president pro tempore Patty Murray, a Democrat of Washington. Each senator was sworn in as a juror and signed their name in an oath book. | |
| “Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!” the sergeant-at-arms proclaimed, reminding senators that they are to “keep silent on pain of imprisonment” for the duration of the trial. | |
| Were the Senate to hold an impeachment trial, it would be the third time in five years. Donald Trump was impeached twice during his presidency, first over his dealings with Ukraine and later over his involvement in the January 6 assault on the US Capitol. He was acquitted both times by Senate Republicans. | Were the Senate to hold an impeachment trial, it would be the third time in five years. Donald Trump was impeached twice during his presidency, first over his dealings with Ukraine and later over his involvement in the January 6 assault on the US Capitol. He was acquitted both times by Senate Republicans. |
| A two-thirds majority is needed to win a conviction in the Senate, an impossible threshold if all of the Democrats are united in favor of ending the trial. | A two-thirds majority is needed to win a conviction in the Senate, an impossible threshold if all of the Democrats are united in favor of ending the trial. |