Current:Home > MySenate rejects Mayorkas impeachment charges at trial, ending GOP bid to oust him-LoTradeCoin
Senate rejects Mayorkas impeachment charges at trial, ending GOP bid to oust him
View Date:2024-12-23 21:13:36
Washington — The Senate quickly dispensed with the two impeachment charges against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, convening a short-lived trial Wednesday that brought an end to a months-long effort to punish the secretary for his handling of the southern border.
The Senate's 51-member Democratic majority voted to dismiss both charges as unconstitutional over the objections of Republican members. The entire proceeding lasted just three hours.
Mayorkas became just the second Cabinet secretary in U.S. history to be impeached when the House charged him in February with "willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law" and a "breach of public trust." Democrats strongly opposed the impeachment effort, decrying it as a political stunt and saying the allegations constituted a policy disagreement that fell far short of the constitutional threshold for impeachment.
Under the Constitution, the Senate is responsible for holding a trial to determine if impeached officials are guilty and should be removed from office. The House transmitted the articles on Tuesday, and senators were sworn in as jurors Wednesday afternoon. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat and the president pro tempore of the chamber, presided over the trial. Senators took turns signing an oath book, an indication of the gravity of the proceedings.
The outcome of the trial was a foregone conclusion, given the Democratic control of the chamber. Nonetheless, Senate Republicans called on Democratic leaders to hold a comprehensive trial, and a handful of GOP lawmakers attempted to delay the proceedings. When Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tried to move forward with an agreement to allow for a period of debate after senators were sworn in, Missouri GOP Sen. Eric Schmitt objected, accusing Schumer of "setting our Constitution ablaze" by refusing to hold a full trial.
Without the agreement, Schumer then opted for a different path forward — asking senators to vote on a point of order over whether the first impeachment charge met the threshold of "high crimes and misdemeanors" outlined in the Constitution. The move effectively blocked Senate Republicans from presenting their own points of order, which could have derailed the proceedings further.
Senators ultimately voted 51-48 along party lines that the first impeachment article was unconstitutional, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, voting present. On the second article, senators voted 51-49, with Murkowski joining her fellow Republicans.
Before the votes, Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, argued that Schumer presented no evidence that the charge was unconstitutional and motioned to move the impeachment trial into a closed session for debate. His motion fell short.
"The majority leader's position is asking members of this Senate to vote on political expediency to avoid listening to arguments," Cruz said. "The only rational way to resolve this question is actually to debate it, to consider the Constitution and consider the law."
A number of other Senate Republicans took turns offering different motions Wednesday afternoon to delay an end to the trial. But each fell short in the Democratic-controlled chamber.
Mia Ehrenberg, a DHS spokesperson, said in a statement that the Senate's decision to reject the impeachment articles "proves definitively that there was no evidence or Constitutional grounds to justify impeachment."
Kaia HubbardKaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
TwitterveryGood! (2712)
Related
- Prosecutor failed to show that Musk’s $1M-a-day sweepstakes was an illegal lottery, judge says
- Wildfire smoke is blanketing much of the U.S. Here's how to protect yourself
- OceanGate co-founder calls for optimism amid search for lost sub
- South Carolina Has No Overall Plan to Fight Climate Change
- Katharine Hayhoe’s Post-Election Advice: Fight Fear, Embrace Hope and Work Together
- Wildfires, Climate Policies Start to Shift Corporate Views on Risk
- Individual cigarettes in Canada will soon carry health warnings
- How to protect yourself from poor air quality
- Unexpected pairing: New documentary tells a heartwarming story between Vietnam enemies
- Picking the 'right' sunscreen isn't as important as avoiding these 6 mistakes
Ranking
- McDonald's Version: New Bestie Bundle meals celebrate Swiftie friendship bracelets
- Addiction drug maker will pay more than $102 million fine for stifling competition
- In Australia’s Burning Forests, Signs We’ve Passed a Global Warming Tipping Point
- Wyoming's ban on abortion pills blocked days before law takes effect
- Advance Auto Parts is closing hundreds of stores in an effort to turn its business around
- Financial Industry Faces Daunting Transformation for Climate Deal to Succeed
- Inside Harry Styles' Special Bond With Stevie Nicks
- Judge: Trump Admin. Must Consider Climate Change in Major Drilling and Mining Lease Plan
Recommendation
-
The state that cleared the way for sports gambling now may ban ‘prop’ bets on college athletes
-
Senate 2020: In Alabama, Two Very Different Views on Climate Change Give Voters a Clear Choice
-
Pfizer warns of a looming penicillin supply shortage
-
Taylor Swift Seemingly Shares What Led to Joe Alwyn Breakup in New Song “You’re Losing Me”
-
King Charles III celebrates 76th birthday amid cancer battle, opens food hubs
-
Florida families face confusion after gender-affirming care ban temporarily blocked
-
Worst Case Climate Scenario Might Be (Slightly) Less Dire Than Thought
-
Medical students aren't showing up to class. What does that mean for future docs?