Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached by the House of Representatives on a narrow 214-213 vote Tuesday night, becoming the first Cabinet member to be impeached in nearly 150 years.
President Ulysses S. Grant’s Secretary of War, William Belknap, was impeached by the House of Representatives in 1876, even though he resigned before the vote.
Mr. Belknap was acquitted by the Senate, but the same result is certain to be repeated unless the Senate procedurally overrides Mr. Mayorkas’ impeachment.
Nevertheless, Republicans can argue that they have secured a rare opportunity in a bitterly divided Congress to hold the Biden administration accountable on an issue that could decide the 2024 election.
“Secretary Mayorkas’ willful refusal to enforce federal law has created an unprecedented crisis at our southern border and left innocent Americans paying the price,” said Majority Whip Tom Emmer. (R-Minnesota) told Breitbart News in an exclusive statement. “Because Mr. Mayorkas failed to do the honorable job of resigning, House Republicans fulfilled their constitutional duty by voting for impeachment.”
Tuesday night’s results saw House Republicans reject Mayorkas’ impeachment by one vote after Rep. Al Green (D-Texas), in a wheelchair, rolled into the House chamber from a Washington emergency room last week. This is in response to this.
Republicans were not counting on Greene’s vote, which was decisive in their opposition to impeachment.
House leaders moved ahead with Tuesday night’s vote following the welcome return of Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), who had been in the state since December for cancer treatment. Mayorkas would be safe if a special election in New York’s 3rd Congressional District on Tuesday calls for the endorsement of former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.).
Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) said there was overwhelming support for the move among Republicans. Despite this, he once again voted with Democrats against impeaching the embattled chief justice.
In a sign of the unpopularity of this position, after last week’s vote against impeachment, Mr. Gallagher announced his decision not to seek re-election to Congress.
The impeachment is a victory for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who has been the loudest advocate and most persistent advocate for removing Mayorkas from office. She and her allies claim Mr. Mayorkas intentionally refused to abide by existing law and lied to Congress, clear grounds for impeachment.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) attends a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on September 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) urge House Republicans to proceed against President Joe Biden. He explained the formal impeachment inquiry underway. (Kevin Dietch/Getty)
Greene on Tuesday called Mayorkas “the worst traitor” and called on the House to take action.
Dan Goldman and Fake News want to make it seem like Mr. Mayorkas did nothing wrong.
Don’t believe their lies. Read the articles of impeachment yourself and see what law he broke. There are also 6 pages.
Responsibility will be asked. pic.twitter.com/8z5NTXvJYT
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 13, 2024
Impeachment is destined to end in the Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will quickly dispose of options and block a short trial that would have ensured Mr. Mayorkas’ outright acquittal. Therefore, one of several options may be pursued.
But the issue of border security will continue to vex Democrats heading into the November election, with House Republicans insisting that HR2, the tough border security bill passed last year, will set the standard for continued negotiations on border security. is maintained.
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News’ Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
