GOP-led House impeaches Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas -- by one vote -- over border management

[BumRushDaShow]

Last edited Tue Feb 13, 2024, 10:39 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AP

Updated 9:29 PM EST, February 13, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House voted Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with the Republican majority determined to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border after failing last week in a politically embarrassing setback.

The evening roll call proved tight, with Speaker Mike Johnson’s threadbare GOP majority unable to handle many defectors or absences in the face of staunch Democratic opposition to impeaching Mayorkas, the first Cabinet secretary charged in nearly 150 years.

In a historic rebuke, the House impeached Mayorkas 214-213. With the return of Majority Leader Steve Scalise to bolster the GOP’s numbers after being away from Washington for cancer care and a Northeastern storm impacting some others, Republicans recouped — despite dissent from their own ranks.

President Joe Biden called it a “blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games.”

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214

---

Link to Roll Call vote - https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202443?Page=2


Article updated.

Original article/headline -

House votes to impeach Mayorkas, a historic rebuke of sitting Cabinet member by Republicans

Updated 7:23 PM EST, February 13, 2024


WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. House voted Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with the Republican majority determined to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S-Mexico border after failing last week in a politically embarrassing setback.

The evening roll call proved tight, with Speaker Mike Johnson’s threadbare GOP majority unable to handle many defectors or absences in the face of staunch Democratic opposition to impeaching Mayorkas, the first Cabinet secretary facing charges in nearly 150 years.

In a historic rebuke, the House impeached Mayorkas 214-213. With the return of Majority Leader Steve Scalise to bolster the GOP’s numbers after being away from Washington for cancer care and a Northeastern storm impacting some others, Republicans recouped — despite dissent from their own ranks.

Johnson had posted a fists-clenched photo with Scalise, announcing his remission from cancer, saying, “looking forward to having him back in the trenches this week!”

[GB_RN]

1. What A Colossal Waste Of Time...

He’ll be acquitted in the Senate. And meanwhile, with way more important things they could be dealing with, the GOPQ House majority continues to do its best shot imitations of both Nero fiddling and the proverbial ostrich burying its head.

What a bunch of absolute fuckwits.

[AverageOldGuy]

7. A question.

Is the Senate required to take up the impeachment resolution for action? I don't know.

The House brings charges then the Senate sits as a court, hears the charges, debates, then votes guilty/not guilty. I wonder if the Senate is even required to bring the action to the floor. Or maybe the Senate can take a page from the Trump playbook . . . delay, delay, delay, then discover that "Oh my goodness!! It's January 2025 and everything we have not considered by now is dead."

[GB_RN]

10. As I Recall...

Yes. Or at least, that was the legal-beagle stuff I remember reading from Dolt45’s trials and Civics class all those years ago.

The only difference between this and an impeachment trial of the president is that the presiding officer in a presidential trial is the SCOTUS chief justice. In any other impeachment trial, IIRC, the presiding officer is the president/president pro-tem of the Senate.

[BumRushDaShow]

12. "Is the Senate required to take up the impeachment resolution for action? I don't know."

From what I have read, they have to accept the Articles (and I expect having the Managers present their case). But once under their purview, their Rules allow them to control the rest of the process meaning they do not have to even do a final vote for conviction, let alone apparently having the ability to vote to dismiss the whole thing.

I haven't done a deep dive into the (humongous and convoluted) Senate Rules but apparently "there is a Rule for that".

EDIT - I did find this (PDF) - https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/SMAN-113/pdf/SMAN-113-pg223.pdf

And in there is this -

II. Upon such articles being presented to the Senate,
the Senate shall, at 1 o’clock afternoon of the day (Sunday
excepted) following such presentation, or sooner if ordered
by the Senate, proceed to the consideration of such articles
and shall continue in session from day to day (Sundays
excepted) after the trial shall commence (unless otherwise
ordered by the Senate) until final judgment shall be ren-
dered, and so much longer as may, in its judgment, be
needful

[JohnSJ]

2. Perhaps the cruelty of scaliese will come back and destroy that punk along with the rest of the traitors

[SouthernDem4ever]

3. they have nothing better to do

[Retrograde]

4. Nice to know that all their normal business is done

budgets passed, foreign aid under control, all other problems solved

[AverageOldGuy]

5. I am certain . . .

. . . Secretary Mayorkas will not lose a minute's sleep over this.

[chowder66]

6. MEDIA! Maybe talk about how egregious this was. How the Republicans impeached based on nothing

under Mayorkas' control. That Republicans refuse to fix the immigration system.

[maxrandb]

26. No, the media must report every fart that comes from Retrumplicans

as if it is a serious subject that must be covered with fierce determination. I mean, after all, it is one of the major parties with millions of voters, so it must be something, right?

We must look through every nook and cranny to find out if this nothing is really something, and if we still find nothing, we'll discuss how "bold a political move" this nothing was.

Then we must interview every Retrumplican at a Beaver County, PA diner so they can tell us how "extremely serious" this nothing is.

Maybe get a couple of washed up "Democrats" to google every federal statute and opine how this might be something, because of some obscure clause that might possibly make the nothing something, if it happened on a Saturday in June during a full moon.

Or maybe get some other washed up "Democrats" to state that even though this is nothing, it will harm President Biden, or discourage Dem turnout

Lather-Rinse-Repeat

[bluestarone]

8. I so look forward to the day that

these bastards are shown the fucking door!

[angrychair]

9. So refused to vote on a border bill

And then impeach the guy that has actually done more to improve the situation at the border in modern times

[wiggs]

11. Historic 'rebuke' or historic partisanship and brazenness? nt

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

13. So instead of doing the peoples business we get show trials.

[Dulcinea]

16. It appears they have no interest in doing the people's business.

They're there to do the bidding of their Lord and Savior, Dolt 45. What does this orange colostomy bag have on them anyway??!!

[highplainsdem]

14. Bobo the clown already has video online about how "proud" she is that they're "delivering for the

American people."

NOT how you'll be remembered, Boebert.

[bsiebs]

15. Where were Lois Frankel (D-FL) and Judy Chu (D-CA)? We needed at least one of those votes ...

Its all a big joke anyway, but I am not sure why these two were missing in action... they could have stopped it ...

[BumRushDaShow]

18. They wouldn't have made a difference

Democrats only have 212 members at the moment and the first go-around, all 212 voted nay + 3 Republicans joined them to have a tie of 215 - 215 (since Scalise was missing and with their vacancies, the GOP was down to 218 available that day). A 4th Republican switched votes to sink it 214 - 216 so it could be brought up again.

This go-around, even if the same 212 Democrats were there, the GOP now had 216 "yay" instead of 215 (with the same original 3 voting against it).

[bsiebs]

24. But the final vote this time was 214-213.

There were two Repubs that did not vote this time as well... perhaps they would have shown up if our two absent Democratic Representatives did come to the floor and vote? I don't know, but I still find it a bit confusing.

These two Repubs did not vote:
Brian Mast (R-FL)
María Salazar (R-FL)

These two Democrats did not vote:
Judy Chu (D-CA)
Lois Frankel (D-FL)

[BumRushDaShow]

25. Here is the Roll Call vote link

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202443?Page=2

The (R)s who did not vote voted to impeach the first time and there was no guarantee that they would flip. Similarly, the 2 (D)s voted not to impeach the first time and they would not have changed their votes.

Judy Chu tested positive for COVID and tweeted/X'd this out -

Link to tweet

Judy Chu
@RepJudyChu
·
Follow
Had I been able to be on the House Floor tonight, I would have voted once again against the sham impeachment of @SecMayorkas.
Image
7:21 PM · Feb 13, 2024

Am not sure of the status of Lois Frankel (she missed all votes today) but even if she were there, it would have had the same result as the first time - a "tie" that would have a (R) flip to a "nay", which would have allowed for them to bring it up for a 3rd time later (they are the definition of insanity).

[BumRushDaShow]

40. As a follow up to my earlier post - I found this

A handful of other members also did not make the vote on Tuesday, including Reps. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) and Brian Mast (R-Fla.), who each said their flights were delayed.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4466861-democrat-misses-close-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-due-to-covid-19/

So of the 4 who didn't vote (1 from CA who tested positive for COVID and 3 from FL), at least 2 of the FL Reps including the other (D), had delayed plane flights (there was a nor'easter that hit the midatlantic area Tuesday.

[bsiebs]

46. Soooo... Covid and Climate Change did it...

Thanks for that information, at least now I know why they did not show up.

[BumRushDaShow]

47. Winter storm "Lorraine" (I think it was named)

Got 3.5" where I live in Philly.

[cstanleytech]

19. I suspect the House Republicans were counting on the Democrats doing that since the Republicans

will now lose the free PR it was giving them and it also might have put some of them in a more vulnerable position because their vote could be used against them to hopefully unseat them and give us back majority control of the House.

[2naSalit]

17. I wish...

Their karma to come quickly and in full force.

[BumRushDaShow]

29. They just lost Santos' seat to a Democrat

(this is why they rushed this vote)

[2naSalit]

30. I know...

I was watching. May we continue to remove them from office at the ballot box. I think we're going to do just that this year. I'm hoping for a D sweep across the board.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. +infnity!

[Marthe48]

20. History will record this action against an honorable man

as the death throes of the criminal thug politicians who orchestrated the charade

[Initech]

22. And the rogue POS news network egging them on every night.

Fuck Fox News.

[Initech]

21. Booooooooo!!!!

Fuck these fucking morons. And fuck these loser fucking talk show hosts who are egging them on to do this shit. Worst House in American history. Period. If there is a hell, it waits for them.

[Ford_Prefect]

23. The House GOP are fully vested agents of a foreign power, doing the bidding of a foreign dictator, and acting against

Constitution and the best interests of the American People. Their leaders should be arrested for treason and espionage, and tried accordingly.

Fact.

[Bayard]

27. What are his high crimes and misdemeanors supposed to be?

Other than he's in the Biden admin?

These people are a really deep pool of pond scum.

[SunSeeker]

35. They've got nothing. They totally violated the Constitution's requirements for an impeachment. nt

[truthisfreedom]

28. A little reminder about t****'s 2nd impeachment

Congressional votes
Voting in the U.S. House of Representatives
Accusation:
Incitement of insurrection
Votes in favor: 232
Votes against: 197
Present: 0
Not voting: 4
Result: Approved

[AllBlue]

42. His Multiple Myeloma is thought

... to never be curable, and there are regular treatments to keep the immune system
in the best shape possible. He just got a stem cell transplant, so they are doing all
they can for him. More stem cell transplants are possible, or even probable.
OTOH, his generally ornery nature is not a positive factor in the progress of his disease.

[dlk]

34. This was a dry run for impeaching President Biden

With a healthy dose of Republican antisemitism thrown in for good measure.

[Mark.b2]

36. Impeachment is a big deal if there's a chance...

The Senate will convict. Otherwise, it's just a stunt and a complete waste of time. See the Clinton impeachment. No one has ever cared he was impeached.

They will pull the same crap in Biden's second term if they somehow keep the House. And they'll probably try it more than once.

[JT45242]

37. And it will tie up the senate...

Good smokescreen for maga mike and the magaloons...if the senate is tied up with this bs for a couple of weeks maybe no one will notice that the rethugs cannot get any legislation, and certainly no meaningful legislation, through the house of representatives.

[ificandream]

38. If only the NY Special Election had been a couple of days earlier ...

... but then the tie would have been broken by a Republican.

[ificandream]

39. History will not be kind to Republicans..

[BumRushDaShow]

43. Welcome to DU

Enjoy your stay.

[COL Mustard]

44. It's clear what their priorities are.

They have time for this bullshit but they can't be bothered to do their freaking jobs and PASS A BUDGET.

Old man rant off.

[Scrivener7]

45. Rendering the impeachment process meaningless advantages republiQans.