Then There Were Two: House Republicans Are No Votes on Mayorkas Impeachment

Last week the Homeland Security Committee voted 18-15 to move forward with articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Mayorkas. On Monday, the House Rules Committee approved a rule permitting the House to consider the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas. 

The committee voted 8 to 4 to approve the rule. The committee’s vote means that a vote can happen as soon as today on the articles of impeachment. Chairman Tom Cole said it is the House’s constitutional duty to act.

“I take no pleasure in our actions today. But Secretary Mayorkas’ actions – both in his intentional refusal to enforce our laws and abandoning the confidence of Americans– require us to act,” panel Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said, according to the New York Post. “Secretary Mayorkas has refused to uphold his oath of office. If he will not do his duty, then unfortunately, the House must do its constitutional duty.”

I won’t be surprised if the vote is put off. If the number of House Republicans coming forward to say they will not vote for impeachment continues to grow, there will not be enough support to pass it. The articles accuse Mayorkas of a “breach of trust” and a “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” in his handling of the Biden border crisis. 

It is hard to argue with those accusations. However, the truth is that even if Republicans successfully vote for the articles and it goes to the Senate for an impeachment trial, it would all stop there. The Senate won’t vote for Mayorkas to be impeached. Joe Biden won’t fire Mayorkas. The Biden border crisis is intentional. Most Democrats want an open border. Mayorkas is doing what he is told to do by Biden or whoever is running the White House. 

It is only now that Biden’s chance of re-election looks iffy, at best, that Democrats suddenly have concerns over border security. Immigration and border security is a top voter issue this cycle precisely because of Biden’s handling of the southern border.

Enter a couple of House Republicans who will vote no on impeachment. 

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., followed Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., in announcing he would vote ‘no’ on the resolution to impeach Mayorkas Tuesday. 

‘The only way to stop the border invasion is to replace the Biden administration at the ballot box,’ McClintock wrote on X. ‘Swapping one leftist for another is a fantasy, solves nothing, excuses Biden’s culpability, and unconstitutionally expands impeachment that someday will bite Republicans.’

McClintock felt so strongly about not impeaching the secretary that he released a 10-page memo to House Republicans making the case against it.  

Buck, who will retire after this term, had a similar warning on Monday, saying that a ‘partisan impeachment’ would ‘boomerang back and hurt Republicans in the future.’

I would like to be irritated about this but I think they are right. Common sense tells us that this is an action waiting to fail. I do, though, see value in it. It won’t succeed but it does hold Mayorkas accountable. Spotlighting his failure to do his job, whether it is because he is following Biden’s orders or not, is worthwhile. I think both Biden and Mayorkas should be impeached over their dereliction of duty. Democrats control the Senate and it won’t happen. 

Two House Republicans have not said how they will vote. Rep. Dave Joyce (D-OH) has not said how he will vote, and Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) has been quiet so far.  

Democrats are circling the wagons, as they do so well, against House Republicans. 

Karine Jean-Pierre says it’d be “shameful” to impeach Biden DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas over his willful failure to enforce U.S. immigration law pic.twitter.com/ZGueNwXfIR

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 6, 2024

Election Denier Hakeem Jeffries continues to defend Biden DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, whose failure to enforce U.S. law has led to the worst border crisis in American history pic.twitter.com/QNuwMLgGzU

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 6, 2024

“Shameful”, eh? Shameful is how I would describe Biden’s actions that led to a loss of sovereignty for our country. His first duty is to protect the homeland and secure its borders to protect Americans. He has failed miserably, as has Mayorkas, and it is all intentional.  

UPDATE: The vote was taken and it failed. This is a big loss for Republicans. The vote tally was 216 to 214. Four Republicans voted against it – Reps Buck, McClintock, Gallagher, and Blake Moore. Moore originally voted in favor of impeachment but changed his vote at the last minute. The reason for Moore’s switch was the fact that a 215-215 vote would have tabled the vote because tie votes lose in the House. Moore helped Republicans be able to call the vote again later if they so choose. It was a procedural move. Mayorkas can breathe easy tonight.