The Republican-controlled House attempted an impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, but failed by several votes as a few Republicans joined Democrats in blocking the impeachment.
House Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee had been holding hearings and investigating Mayorkas over what they say has been the “worst border crisis on record.”
However, Democrats in Congress said the vote was political, and that there was no Constitutional grounds for impeachment. They issued a rebuttal report titled, “Republican Abuse of Power.”
The final vote tally was 214 to 216, with three Republican Congressman voting against the impeachment.
Republicans voting against impeachment were:
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-California)
Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colorado)
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin)
Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) also voted no. However, he later switched his vote, which is a procedural move that allows another potential vote on impeachment at a later day.
Buck later explained his opposition to the impeachment saying in an Op-Ed,
“Partisan impeachments that do not meet the constitutional standard will boomerang back and hurt Republicans in the future. I can envision a future Republican administration where a Democrat-led House uses this precedent to act against a Republican Cabinet member who isn’t discharging their duties in a way that Democrats desire.”
Citation
Some Republicans have said they will bring the impeachment effort back again in the future.
Rep. Byron Donaldson said in a statement on X:
“Mayorkas lied to congress. He’s lied to the American people. He’s failed to uphold our laws ON PURPOSE.
It doesn’t matter who you are, if you’re doing the OPPOSITE of your job, you should be FIRED. He should be impeached.
We will will bring this resolution back & it will pass.”
Citation
Mayorkas called the impeachment effort, “baseless” and “inaccurate.”
A cabinet member has not been impeached since 1876, when Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached.
