The impeachment decision is the fruits of a monthslong investigation into Mayorkas that at instances final yr appeared to have stalled as Republicans shifted their focus towards investigating President Joe Biden. Republicans held two impeachment-related hearings earlier this month as they tried to construct the case for an impeachment vote on Mayorkas.
“Within the Committee’s impeachment hearings, members obtained testimony from high authorized officers that detailed how Secretary Mayorkas has didn’t uphold his oath of workplace, how his actions and choices rise to the extent of impeachable offenses, and the way his misconduct is costing states throughout the nation,” Inexperienced mentioned in a latest assertion, asserting the committee vote.
Within the first article, refusing to adjust to the regulation, Republicans argue that Mayorkas didn’t uphold immigration legal guidelines, exceeded his authority and risked public security. Within the second article, breach of belief, Republicans accuse him of constructing false statements to Congress, obstructing congressional oversight and different steps like ending building on the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
A few of the criticisms contained inside the articles are well-trodden.
Republicans have accused Mayorkas for months of mendacity to Congress over whether or not or not the division has operational management of the border. Mayorkas has argued he didn’t imply operational management in keeping with the statutory definition, which no administration has met. And the division has been rebuffing GOP claims of obstruction, noting its compliance with hearings, closed-door interviews and turning over paperwork.
The impeachment articles come because the Senate
might vote on a bipartisan deal linking new border restrictions to cash for Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel. Former President Donald Trump has lashed out on the deal, and Speaker Mike Johnson has warned that relying on the main points it might be “useless on arrival” within the Home.
The drive to question Mayorkas has drawn criticism from Democrats and authorized consultants, plus skepticism from a few of their very own GOP colleagues, who consider they haven’t proven that Mayorkas dedicated a excessive crime or misdemeanor.
“What’s obviously lacking from these articles is any actual cost or perhaps a shred of proof of excessive crimes or misdemeanors — the Constitutional customary for impeachment,” Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the highest Democrat on the panel, mentioned in an announcement after Republicans launched their impeachment articles on Sunday.
The Division of Homeland Safety, in a four-page memo responding to the articles, known as Tuesday’s committee vote “simply extra of the identical political video games” from Republicans on the committee.
“This farce of an impeachment is a distraction from different important nationwide safety priorities and the work Congress must be doing to truly repair our damaged immigration legal guidelines,” it added within the memo.
