Republican senators were able to persuade Republican Senate President Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to delay filing two impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in the Senate. They cited concerns that the Democratic Party would try to remove him from office as soon as the impeachment trial begins. upper room.
“To allow the Senate sufficient time to fulfill its constitutional duties, the House will send the articles of impeachment to the Senate next week. There is no reason for the Senate to abdicate its responsibility to conduct an impeachment trial,” the spokesperson said. Ta. Johnson told FOX News Digital on Tuesday.
At least 10 Republican senators have blocked distribution of the article to prevent Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and the Democratic caucus from starting the trial ahead of the weekend and sending senators home immediately afterwards. He said he was actively pressuring the chairman to delay the meeting. A person familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital.
In a letter to Dear Colleagues last week, Schumer told senators that if the papers are delivered as scheduled on Wednesday, the proceedings would begin on Thursday. House Speaker Johnson had previously indicated the deadline in a letter to Schumer.
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Republican senators discussed their efforts to persuade Mr. Johnson at a luncheon Tuesday at the National Republican Senatorial Committee headquarters, the person said. Two of the senators are Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), their office confirmed.
The benefit of the delay for Republicans is that it would give Republicans more time to consider articles of impeachment against Mayorkas without the pressure of a looming weekend, the person said.
The person said Republicans discussed their desire to increase pressure on their Democratic colleagues during the lunch, with a number of senators backing a plan to halt all business in Congress if Democrats brought Mayorkas to trial. He added that he had made a statement. This includes Republicans refusing to provide a quorum or vote.
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Republican senators reiterated that filing the case would be “historic” because the incident would not have happened if the impeached officials had not first resigned.
File: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.), right, with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D.R.) speaking to reporters after a closed policy meeting on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the Capitol in Washington. .I.)). (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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“This is our job,” Sen. Eric Schmidt (R-Missouri) emphasized at a news conference Tuesday.
Several Senate Republicans criticized Schumer during the news conference for their expectations that he would seek to halt the trial early. But Schumer has not suggested what Democrats will do.
Democratic senators have previously indicated to Fox News Digital that they believe the caucus will explore such strategic procedural maneuvers.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee markup hearing on Thursday, November 30, 2023. (Bill Clark)
“They are nuking the provisions of the Constitution,” Lee said at a Republican news conference Tuesday.
The Utah Republican also told reporters: “I appreciate Speaker Johnson’s bold willingness to delay this.”
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“The president doesn’t want Senate Democrats, especially Democrats who will be on the ballot in November, to vote guilty or not guilty,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
Schumer did not comment to Fox News Digital.
