The Democratic-majority U.S. Senate on Wednesday dismissed impeachment charges against President Joe Biden’s top border official, bringing a swift end to an effort that House of Representatives Republicans launched months ago.
In a series of partisan votes, the Senate dismissed the charges accusing Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas of not enforcing U.S. border laws and lying to Congress, as illegal immigration has hit record levels since Biden took office in 2021.
Mayorkas denied wrongdoing, and the White House and congressional Democrats blasted the exercise as a misuse of the impeachment powers to highlight a policy dispute, rather than addressing the standard of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer engineered Wednesday’s Senate outcome that protected Mayorkas from losing his Cabinet-level job by averting a trial in which senators were sworn in to judge the case.
Republican senators protested Schumer’s move, insisting on a full-blown trial, and repeatedly sought delays when it became clear there would be no trial.
What Are Your Thoughts?
