Dozens of Republican senators, led by Sen. Lindsey Graham, are calling on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to ensure a full impeachment trial is held for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The GOP senators are demanding that the Senate uphold its constitutional responsibility to properly adjudicate the House of Representatives’ impeachment of Mayorkas. They have accused Democratic colleagues of planning to kill the trial by tabling it when it reaches the Senate. Schumer’s office did not immediately provide comment on the matter. The letter was also signed by nearly the entire Republican conference, but notable non-signers include Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitt Romney, who have criticized the House’s effort to impeach Mayorkas.
House Speaker Mike Johnson agreed to delay the delivery of the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas to Schumer following the urging of several GOP senators. The delay was requested to avoid initiating the trial at the end of the week when senators would be looking to fly back to their states. When the articles are brought to the Senate, a certain procedure will be set into motion, and all senators will be sworn in as jurors. Republicans are concerned that Schumer and Senate Democrats will use a procedural maneuver to quickly end the trial with a motion to table, potentially killing the chances of a full trial. A group of Senate Republicans has threatened to hold up all legislative business in the chamber if Schumer does not allow a full trial to take place.
The letter sent by the GOP senators was signed by notable Republican figures such as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Minority Whip John Thune, and Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso. The list of signers also includes Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Ted Budd, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Mitt Romney, among others. Notable non-signers include Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitt Romney, who have voiced critiques of the House’s impeachment efforts against Mayorkas. Schumer has not indicated the caucus’s plans on the matter, while Republicans have clearly expressed their expectations that Democrats will seek a quick dismissal of the impeachment trial proceedings.
If a full impeachment trial for Mayorkas is not allowed to play out, a group of Senate Republicans has threatened to potentially halt all legislative business in the upper chamber. This protest would make it nearly impossible for any business to get through the Senate as the body relies on unanimous consent among members for much of the business conducted. Republicans fear that Schumer and Senate Democrats will seek to quickly end the trial with a motion to table, which could kill the chances of a thorough impeachment trial. The situation remains fluid as both sides await further developments in the impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas.
