Cruz: Democrats tossed ‘two centuries of precedent’ by rejecting Mayorkas articles of impeachment 

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Wednesday slammed Democrats in the Senate for rejecting two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, overturning more than two centuries of “precedent” in the Senate. claimed to have done so.

“Yesterday, Chuck Schumer threw over two centuries of precedent in the United States Senate out the window,” Cruz wrote in a post Thursday. “He stripped the Senate of its right to conduct an impeachment trial. Democrats don’t care about the Constitution or the rule of law.”

The Democratic-controlled Senate on Wednesday struck down two articles of impeachment against Mr. Mayorkas, passing along largely party-line Articles 51 to 49 within hours. The vote marks the first time in 225 years that the Senate has voted to immediately dismiss an impeachment charge approved by the House of Representatives without holding a floor trial or referring it to a special committee for review.

Cruz pointed out on Newsmax that of the 22 times articles of impeachment against an individual have been introduced in the House, the Senate has tried them each time, except when the individual dies or leaves office.

“This was a precedent that continued for 200 years until yesterday when all the Democrats decided that they were not going to fulfill their constitutional duty and not allow the trial to take place. It simply ruled that it would not consider the issue,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.Y.) argued that a trial was not necessary because the House of Representatives had ordered “the least legal, least substantive, and most politicized impeachment trial in American history.” .

Mr. Cruz tried to block Mr. Schumer’s dismissal of the charges by introducing a motion in the Senate to call a closed session to discuss the constitutionality of impeachment, but Democrats voted against it.

Republicans have long called for impeachment to uncover the Biden administration’s record on immigration and border security. The House article accused Mayorkas of violating his oath of office, violating immigration law and “violating the public trust.”