House Republicans plan to delay sending the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate until next week, amid concerns that Majority Leader Chuck Schumer may quickly bring the proceedings to a close. The decision to wait on transmitting the articles was made to ensure the Senate has enough time to fulfill its constitutional duty. Mayorkas was impeached by House Republicans in February for allegedly failing to enforce federal immigration law and lying to Congress about the security of the US border.
Initially scheduled for delivery on April 10, the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas have faced criticism for their timing. Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, fear that Democrats may pass a motion to dismiss or table the proceedings. Some Republican senators have expressed disappointment with the timing of the articles’ delivery, stating that it does not allow enough time for Republicans to engage in a meaningful defense. They are concerned that there will be pressure to end the trial prematurely, without thoroughly considering the charges against Mayorkas.
Republican senators are expressing gratitude for the decision to delay transmission of the impeachment articles until next week. They fear that any attempt by Senate Democrats to prematurely end the trial would be a violation of the Senate’s time-honored traditions. The move to delay the articles was made in order to prevent senators from making decisions under the influence of time constraints or jet fuel intoxication. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to move swiftly against the articles once senators are sworn in as jurors.
Both Schumer and the White House have dismissed the impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas as a political stunt. Mayorkas is only the second Cabinet official in US history to be impeached. The first was Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876, who resigned the same day he was impeached for corruption. Belknap was later acquitted by the Senate in a trial after months of proceedings. Despite the dismissal of the impeachment by Democratic leaders, House Republicans are determined to highlight what they see as a failure by Mayorkas to fulfill his duties as Homeland Security Secretary.
Republican senators are calling for a cooperative effort between House Republicans and Senate Republicans to ensure that the impeachment proceedings receive a fair and public hearing. They believe that the timing of the articles’ delivery should have been coordinated to allow for the best possible use of the impeachment process. By delaying the transmission of the articles to the Senate, House Republicans hope to provide Republican senators with enough time to push back against any attempts to prematurely end the trial. The decision to wait until next week to send the impeachment articles is seen as a strategic move to ensure that the proceedings are conducted fairly and with due diligence.
