Senate insiders anticipate that Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will swiftly reject the impeachment allegations against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas after they are formally introduced in the coming week.
A Republican Senate aide hinted that Schumer might propose a vote to dismiss or table the charges shortly after the House impeachment managers present them to the Senate on April 10.
Although referring the case to a special committee is an option, Democrats are concerned it might lend credibility to the accusations against Mayorkas, which Schumer has criticized as baseless and politically motivated.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Credits: Vanity Fair)
A GOP Senate staffer, speaking anonymously, mentioned that Mayorkas’s impeachment is unlikely to occupy important Senate floor time. “This won’t be a lengthy process. We’re not expecting a resolution for the floor procedure,” said the aide. Schumer plans to act swiftly, possibly proposing dismissing or tabling the charges the day following their presentation.
Any motion to dismiss or table must pass by a simple majority vote. Given the Democrats’ current 51-49 seat advantage, the motion is likely to succeed. Some Republicans doubt the impeachment case’s strength, suggesting potential cross-party support for dismissal.
Senators like Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) have voiced concerns about the implications of a Senate trial, focusing instead on the broader policy issues.
Schumer has consistently dismissed the impeachment efforts as lacking substantive evidence that Mayorkas committed impeachable offenses. He advocates for a quick dismissal to return the Senate’s focus to pressing national issues.
Echoing this sentiment, Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) expressed hope for a prompt resolution, emphasizing the need to move on to legislative priorities that matter to the American people. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), known for his conservative stance among Democrats, has also labeled the impeachment unfounded, advocating for its quick disposal.
Chuck Schumer (Credits: The American Prospect)
The Speaker and House impeachment managers have called on Schumer to conduct a full trial, arguing that bypassing the evidence review would disregard the constitutional process and disrespect the American electorate.
Yet, with a two-thirds Senate vote required for Mayorkas’s removal, the outcome seems unlikely to favor the accusers, given some Republicans’ skepticism about the charges’ foundation.
Senate Republican Whip John Thune (S.D.) has urged Schumer to allow a comprehensive presentation of the House GOP’s case. However, given the Democrats’ control and prevailing doubts about the case’s merit, a swift dismissal appears more probable.
This situation compares with previous impeachment proceedings, such as the 2010 case against Louisiana Judge Thomas Porteous, in which ample evidence led to Senate action.
However, the current allegations against Mayorkas lack the substantial evidence seen in past cases, leading some to view the impeachment effort as politically driven rather than grounded in solid accusations of wrongdoing.
