Senate Republicans, led by Senator Lindsey Graham, are pushing for a full impeachment trial against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, while Senate Democrats are inclined to swiftly dismiss the charges against him.
In a letter to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, 43 of the Senate’s 49 Republicans emphasized the Senate’s duty to properly adjudicate the House’s impeachment of Mayorkas.
However, three Republicans, Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and Mitt Romney, have questioned whether the House’s impeachment meets the criteria of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Credits: CNN)
Senators Tommy Tuberville, Bill Cassidy, and Rand Paul did not sign the letter. Tuberville has already called for a full Senate trial, while Cassidy stated he wouldn’t support a measure to table the impeachment.
The Republican senators argued that since 1797, there have been 21 impeachments by the House, all resulting in trials except for one instance where the impeached individual resigned before the trial.
They asserted that given the House’s accusations against Mayorkas for misconduct related to border security, the American people deserve to hear the evidence in a Senate trial.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (Credits: ABC News)
While Schumer has not commented on his plans for the Mayorkas impeachment, Democrats intend to dismiss the charges against him and highlight Republican opposition to a border deal this year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson postponed delivering the impeachment articles until next week, with Schumer indicating readiness to proceed as soon as they are received.
Democrats could swiftly end the trial by motioning to table the proceedings with a simple majority. However, some Republicans have threatened to block all chamber legislation unless Schumer allows a full trial against Mayorkas.
