Mayorkas’ spokesperson issued a statement highlighting the dismissal of the charges as further evidence that “there was no evidence or constitutional basis to justify impeachment.”
Senators voted 51-48 along party lines to find the first provision, which charged Mr. Mayorkas with a “willful and systematic refusal to comply with the law,” to be unconstitutional. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted present.
Senators voted again along party lines — 51-49 — also found Article 2 unconstitutional, charging Mayorkas with a “breach of public trust.” This time, Mukavsky sided with the party. The trial concluded before the House impeachment managers could make their case.
After the trial, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) scolded his Democratic colleagues for setting a “very unfortunate precedent” by not following the House’s instructions. “This is not a proud day in the history of the Senate,” McConnell said, drawing applause from other Republicans.
House Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D.Y.) countered that Democrats have an obligation to set a precedent that impeachment “must never be used to resolve policy disagreements.”
Shortly after the trial began, Mr. Schumer offered Republicans a period of debate time and the opportunity to form a committee on the issue, an offer vehemently rejected by Sen. Eric Schmidt (R-Missouri). It was done. President Schumer quickly responded with an order declaring Article 1 unconstitutional, triggering the first of several subsequent procedural challenges by Republicans.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) called for a closed session. Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-Louisiana) introduced a motion to adjourn the Senate until April 30th. Mr. McConnell then called on Mr. Schumer to reject the terms of his order. All opposition from the Republican Party, which is in the minority and relatively powerless, has failed.
Some senators look bored sitting at their cramped desks as Republicans point out one procedural flaw after another, forcing a series of denials to delay trials and other issues. There were too. Republicans at times tried to give lengthy speeches on the Senate floor, criticizing Mr. Mayorkas and Democrats. of Record levels of immigration at the U.S. southern border.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) repeatedly intervenes as her Republican colleagues try to turn their claims into political statements, and Sen. John Thune (R.S.D.) He interrupted me as I was giving a long introduction about the crisis. Procedural vote failed.
Before senators could finish their second impeachment charge, the two House impeachment managers who had been watching the proceedings from the back row filed out of the chamber. Republicans argued that the body had set a precedent that the Senate could effectively ignore the House’s impeachment resolution.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) signaled last week that he would vote with Democrats to dismiss the trial, before ultimately voting with Republicans, which is the only case in the trial. It may have been a small surprise.
Romney said in a statement after the trial concluded that he did not believe the charges against Mayorkas met the Constitution’s standards for impeachment, but that he opposed Mr. Schumer’s direction because it was important for him to engage in some level of discussion. I cast my vote.”
“Senate Democrats made a mistake by setting a new precedent by throwing out articles of impeachment without any evaluation,” Romney added.
Amid criticism that House Republicans are abusing constitutional tools to resolve what amount to policy differences, even the most politically vulnerable Democrats are holding firm to their party line. They voted unanimously to deny both charges and conclude the trial.
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a vulnerable lawmaker running for re-election in a red state key to Republicans’ plan to seize control of the Senate, ultimately voted with his party to dismiss the charges. But in a statement after the hearing, he called on the Biden administration to “do more to keep Montana and our country safe.”
“Montanans want real solutions to secure our border, not partisan gamesmanship from politicians in Washington, D.C.,” Tester said. “I agree with my Republican colleagues that this exercise is a distraction that will not make our country safer.”
