House Republicans have decided to delay sending articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate until the following week. This decision was made due to concerns that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could move to close the proceedings before they even begin. The House Speaker’s spokesman stated that the delay was to ensure the Senate has enough time to carry out its constitutional duty, and there is no reason for the Senate to avoid holding an impeachment trial.
Mayorkas was impeached by House Republicans in February after failing to enforce federal immigration law and allegedly lying to Congress about the security of the US border. The two articles of impeachment were scheduled to be delivered to the Senate on Wednesday, but Republicans fear that Democrats will pass a motion to dismiss or table the proceedings. This delay in sending the articles has caused frustration among some Republicans, who believe that it could make it easier for Democrats to end the trial prematurely.
Senator Ron Johnson expressed disappointment in the timing of the delivery of the articles and argued that it should have been done earlier in the week to give Senate Republicans more time to push back against any attempts to dismiss or table the proceedings. Johnson suggested that coordinating with Senate Republicans on the timing of the impeachment charges would have been more effective in ensuring the impeachment receives a public hearing and highlights the issues at the southern border.
Republican Senator Mike Lee warned that any attempt by Senate Democrats to end the trial prematurely would be a significant blow to the institution of the Senate’s traditions. He praised House Speaker Johnson for agreeing to delay the transmission of the articles to avoid them being delivered at a time when senators might make decisions under the influence of external factors. Meanwhile, McConnell expects Schumer to take action once senators are sworn in as jurors, and the White House and the Department of Homeland Security have dismissed the impeachment proceedings as a political tactic.
Alejandro Mayorkas is only the second Cabinet official in US history to be impeached. The first was Secretary of War William Belknap, who resigned on the same day he was impeached for corruption in 1876. Belknap was later acquitted by the Senate following a trial, demonstrating the historical significance of impeaching a Cabinet official. The delay in sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate reflects the political tensions surrounding the issue and the significant debate over how the trial should be conducted.
