Senate GOP plots ‘maximum pain’ for Democrats dismissing Mayorkas impeachment trial
By
David Sivak
April 10, 2024 6:27 pm
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Democrats appear to have the votes needed to dismiss an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, but Republicans plan to make that dismissal as painful as possible with a series of maneuvers designed to slow down business on the Senate floor.
The chamber will receive the two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, who stands accused of willfully ignoring federal immigration law, sometime next week. As of now, the tentative plan is for House managers to walk them over on Tuesday, according to three GOP senators briefed on the matter.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will swear senators in as jurors for what ordinarily would be a trial of Mayorkas, but he is widely expected to move to table the articles, which Democrats have dismissed as politically motivated.
Such a tactic would allow Democrats to avoid a drawn-out spectacle that would draw attention to the crisis at the southern border, an issue plaguing swing state Democrats up for election in November. And they appear to have the votes. Democrat Jon Tester (MT) has waffled on whether he would vote to table, but a handful of GOP senators have either signaled a willingness to or declined to say.
Asked about a “hypothetical” motion to table, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said, “Hypothetically, let’s get done with this.”
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/2961839/senate-gop-plots-maximum-pain-democra-mayorkas-impeachment/
