Failure Theater: Republicans Join With Democrats to Scuttle Impeachment of DHS Secretary Mayorkas

By Bonchie | 8:45 PM on November 13, 2023

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Eight Republicans joined with Democrats on Monday to block articles of impeachment filed from advancing against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, was referred back to the House Homeland Security Committee, effectively stalling out the effort.

Ultimately, the gambit failed 209-201.

House Democrats, with the help of a small group of Republicans, on Monday successfully blocked an effort led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to impeach Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas in a straight up or down vote.
The final vote tally was 209-201, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in support of the latter party's motion to stop that floor vote, and instead refer the impeachment resolution introduced by Greene to the House Homeland Security Committee. Twenty-four members — 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans — did not vote on the measure.
The eight Republicans who joined Democrats included Reps. Ken Buck, R-Colo., Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Tom McClintock, R-Calif., Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., John Duarte, R-Calif., Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., and Mike Turner, R-Ohio.

As of this writing, none of the Republicans who voted to boot the articles of impeachment back to the committee have given their reasoning. Many of the names on the list are more moderate House members. A dozen other Republicans didn't vote at all. Had they done so, the outcome of the vote could have been different, though it's likely the absent Democrats would have then shown up to vote as well.

Mayorkas' tenure as DHS secretary has been an abject disaster. The United States has set record after record when it comes to illegal border crossings. The Biden administration's response has been to further incentivize people to make the dangerous journey, with most being released into the interior if they are lucky enough to make it across the border. Court dates are often assigned years into the future and few show up.

If Republicans can't even unite to impeach Mayorkas, it would seem improbable that they'd do so to impeach President Joe Biden. That will likely serve as yet another source of discomfort among GOP voters who are tired of the failure theater.