WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate began its impeachment trial Wednesday. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas regarding his treatment border between us and mexicowhile sworn in senators as jurors, Democrats said they wanted to end the trial before arguments began.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer argued that House Republicans' two articles of impeachment “do not meet the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors” and could set a dangerous precedent, arguing that they could set a dangerous precedent. He said he would move towards it.
“To protect the integrity of the Senate and the rare cases of impeachment we truly need, senators should dismiss today's charges,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said during the Senate's opening. ” he said.
the house Voted by a narrow margin In February, he impeached Mayorkas over his handling of the border crisis, claiming in two articles that Mayorkas “deliberately and systematically” refused to enforce immigration laws.House impeachment managers Delivered the indictment to the Senate On Tuesday, he stood in the well of the Senate and read to an audience of captured senators.
Now that the senators have been sworn in, the chamber will become an impeachment court, with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington presiding. Murray is the most senior member of the majority party and serves as president pro tempore or vice president of the Senate. The senators approached the Senate floor in groups of four and signed the agreement. oath It is kept in the National Archives.
If House Republicans' charges against Mr. Mayorkas were dismissed outright without a chance to argue the case, it would be an embarrassing defeat for House Republicans and House Republican Mike Trump, who has made impeachment a top priority. It would also be an embarrassing defeat for House Speaker Johnson (R-Louisiana). And it is likely to have political resonance for both Republicans and Democrats in a presidential election year when border security is a top issue.
Republicans say President Joe Biden has been weak on border security. The number of people arrested for illegal entry soared to more than 2 million people in the past two years of his term, but this was down from the previous year. record height The number rose to 250,000 in December as crackdowns in Mexico intensified. Democrats argue that instead of impeaching Mayorkas, Republicans should have accepted a bipartisan Senate compromise aimed at reducing the number of immigrants entering the United States illegally.
As he signed the article Monday in preparation for sending the letter to Capitol Hill, Johnson said Schumer should convene a trial to “hold fully accountable those who orchestrated this crisis.”
Associated Press correspondent Mary Claire Jalonick reports that Democrats could end the trial quickly by calling for a vote to throw out the articles of impeachment.
Johnson said Schumer is “the only obstacle to accountability to the American people.” “In accordance with the Constitution, the House demands a trial.”
The entire process can be completed within a few hours. Mr. Schumer said he would seek Republican consent over a period of discussion, but he said he thought it was unlikely that the Republicans would accept the deal, and would allow some Republicans to object. Will he move for them to dismiss the case and hold a vote?
Schumer would need the support of all Senate Democrats and three independents to win that vote.
In any case, Republicans will not be able to get the two-thirds support in the Senate needed to convict and remove Mr. Mayorkas from office — Democrats have a 51-49 majority in the Senate, and impeachment is unlikely. There seems to be a concerted effort in opposition. Not a single House Democrat supported it.
Many Republicans oppose immediate removal, but some have indicated they will join Democrats.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said last week that he didn't know what he would do if there was a move to dismiss the trial. “If the constitutional test is not met, I think it is almost certain that there will be no conviction,” he said.
At the same time, Romney said he wanted to at least express his view that “Mr. Mayorkas has done a terrible job, but he is following the direction of the president and does not pass the constitutional test of a high crime or misdemeanor.” .
Mayorkas, who was in New York on Wednesday to launch a campaign for children's online safety, reiterated that he was focused on his department's work. “The Senate will do what it sees fit as it progresses,” he said. “I'm here on Wednesday morning in New York City fighting online sexual exploitation and abuse. I'm focused on our mission.”
The two articles allege that Mayorkas not only refused to enforce current laws, but also lied to Congress and betrayed the public's trust by claiming the border was secure. The vote in the House of Representatives marked the first time in nearly 150 years that a Cabinet Secretary was impeached.
Since then, Prime Minister Johnson has delayed sending the article to the Senate for several weeks until both houses have finished considering it. government funding It passed the bill and adjourned for two weeks. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week he would send them to the House of Lords. Punted again It comes after Senate Republicans said they wanted more time to prepare.
House impeachment managers previewed some of their arguments Tuesday morning during a hearing with Mayorkas on President Joe Biden's budget request for the department.
Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told the secretary that he has a duty under the law to control and secure the nation's borders. You failed to fulfill this oath. You refused to abide by the laws passed by Congress and betrayed the trust of the people.”
Mayorkas defended his department's efforts, but said the country's immigration system is “fundamentally broken and only Congress can fix it.”
The other impeachment managers are Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ben Klein of Virginia, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming and Louisiana. Clay Higgins of State, Laurel Lee of Florida, August Pulfuger of Texas, and Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia.
If Democrats are unable to reject or table the article, they could vote to create a commission to investigate the charges, following the precedent of impeachment trials of federal judges over the past century. There is ample precedent for this approach, but Democrats may prefer to end the process altogether, especially in a presidential election year when immigration and border security are top issues.
This is the third impeachment trial in the past five years.Democrats impeached President Donald Trump twice and finished impeaching him once his relationship with Ukraine and second time in the next few days Attack on January 6, 2021 At the Capitol. Trump was acquitted by the senate both.
The trial will likely require senators to sit for several weeks while House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mr. Mayorkas make arguments. The Senate is allowed to call witnesses if it decides, and can ask questions of both sides after opening arguments.
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Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri in Washington and Elliot Spagat in San Diego, California, contributed to this report.