About time! Only took nearly 4 years.
Reports from Punchbowl News on Wednesday indicate that the House Homeland Security Committee is gearing up for the impeachment proceedings against Biden’s Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, scheduled to commence on January 10.
Chairing the Homeland Security Committee, Representative Mark Green of Tennessee, stated last month, upon the conclusion of the panel’s investigation, that there exists substantial evidence for House Republicans to support the impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas. Green accused Mayorkas of intentional negligence regarding border security measures and the inappropriate use of taxpayer funds.
Green emphasized the investigation’s findings, attributing the migrant crisis to Mayorkas’ decision-making and alleged refusal to enforce congressional laws. He stressed the necessity for accountability, citing the Secretary’s failure to uphold his oath of office.
“In November, a bipartisan House vote to refer articles of impeachment to my committee only underscored the importance of initiating the impeachment process, which is slated to commence next Wednesday,” stated Green to Punchbowl News.
The pressing issue of a surge in asylum-seeking migrants at the U.S. border, with Customs and Border Protection reporting 10,000 daily crossings, adds urgency to the situation.
It’s worth noting that Mayorkas narrowly escaped impeachment in November when moderate Republicans broke from their party, opting to refer the inquiry to the committee rather than proceeding with a direct up-or-down vote.
If the impeachment proceedings move forward, it would mark a historic event, being the first impeachment of a Cabinet secretary since Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876, according to Punchbowl News.
The impeachment process would follow a familiar trajectory, necessitating a majority vote in the House to send it to the Senate for a trial. A two-thirds majority in the Senate would be required for conviction and the subsequent removal of Mayorkas from office.
Responding to the impending proceedings, DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg insisted that the House GOP lacks a valid basis for impeaching Mayorkas. She criticized the majority for what she deems a baseless political exercise that, in her view, has already faced bipartisan rejection and failed on a previous vote.