As lawmakers return from a two-week spring recess, conservatives say they plan take to the Senate floor Monday evening and deliver a series of speeches calling for a full-fledged trial on the impeachment of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Myorkas.
On Feb. 13, the House impeached Mayorkas over his handling of the border, making him the second Cabinet secretary in history to be impeached and the first in nearly 150 years.
Chairman Jodey Arrington, House representative from Texas, issued a statement demanding Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats hold a full trial of Mayorkas.
“This week, House impeachment managers will deliver the impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas to the United States Senate,” said Arrington. “Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats cannot ignore Mayorkas’ failure to uphold his security mission and willful refusal to enforce our laws - a systematic and continued breach of public trust endangering our citizens. The American people deserve accountability.”
Schumeris expected to move to dismiss or table the House’s two impeachment articles soon after House Speaker Mike Johnsontransmits them to the Senate on Wednesday. Dismissal would require a simple majority vote and Democrats hold the majority.
A group of conservatives, led by Sen. Mike Lee, senior member of the Judiciary Committee, plans to throw up procedural roadblocks, try to delay the issue and put the spotlight on Democrats’ refusal to conduct a trial and hold Mayorkas accountable for what they view as his failure to secure the southern border.
Lee, who serves on the GOP leadership team, is working with fellow Steering Committee members, including GOP Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Marco Rubio of Florida and Eric Schmitt of Missouri. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, the head of the GOP campaign arm, and Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, also are involved.
While Lee and his allies could deploy stall tactics by raising multiple points of order on the floor and wouldn’t change the outcome of the Mayorkas impeachment since Democrats have the votes to table the issue, Republicans could use those tactics to force Democrats to cast difficult votes.
One point of order could state that a quick dismissal of the impeachment articles violates the Senate’s constitutional duty to hold a trial, the aides said. Other points of order could argue that a speedy dismissal violates Senate rules requiring that counsel for each party should have an opportunity to be heard by senators and that witnesses should be sworn in.
Republicans say they want votes on up to 15 points of order, but being in the minority, they could accept a much lower number.