In a razor-thin and historic vote, the House of Representatives has impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, with a tally of 214 to 213.
This unprecedented action makes Mayorkas the first cabinet member to be impeached in nearly a century and a half, and the first sitting cabinet secretary ever to face impeachment.
The impeachment resolution, known as H. Res. 863, charges Secretary Mayorkas with high crimes and misdemeanors. The allegations within the resolution include a “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” concerning the enforcement of U.S. border policy, and a “breach of public trust,” setting a dramatic stage in the House.
The vote comes on the heels of last week’s report by The Gateway Pundit, noting that last Tuesday’s attempt at impeachment resulted in a tie, partly due to three RINOs, Tom McClintock (CA), Ken Buck (CO), and Mike Gallagher (WI), siding with the Democrats.
However, this week’s outcome was swayed by the return of Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who cast a deciding vote in favor of impeachment.
Despite the successful vote to impeach in the House, the three GOP lawmakers—McClintock, Buck, and Gallagher—held their ground and voted against the motion.
Joe Biden has strongly opposed the impeachment, condemning it as an act of “unconstitutional partisanship.
Biden released the following statement:
History will not look kindly on House Republicans for their blatant act of unconstitutional partisanship that has targeted an honorable public servant in order to play petty political games.
Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas, a Cuban immigrant who came to the United States with his family as political refugees, has spent more than two decades serving America with integrity in a decorated career in law enforcement and public service.
From his time in the Justice Department as a U.S. Attorney to his service as Deputy Secretary and now Secretary of Homeland Security, he has upheld the rule of law faithfully and has demonstrated a deep commitment to the values that make our nation great.
This impeachment already failed once on a bipartisan vote. Instead of staging political stunts like this, Republicans with genuine concerns about the border should want Congress to deliver more border resources and stronger border security.
Sadly, the same Republicans pushing this baseless impeachment are rejecting bipartisan plans Secretary Mayorkas and others in my administration have worked hard on to strengthen border security at this very moment — reversing from years of their own demands to pass stronger border bills.
Giving up on real solutions right when they are needed most in order to play politics is not what the American people expect from their leaders. Congress needs to act to give me, Secretary Mayorkas, and my administration the tools and resources needed to address the situation at the border.
The House also needs to pass the Senate’s national security supplemental right away. We will continue pursuing real solutions to the challenges Americans face, and House Republicans have to decide whether to join us to solve the problem or keep playing politics with the border.
