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Senators sworn in for Mayorkas impeachment proceedings: Live coverage
mystery-ak:
Senators sworn in for Mayorkas impeachment proceedings: Live coverage
by The Hill staff - 04/17/24 1:55 PM ET
Senators are set for a showdown Wednesday over whether to hold a trial on the two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Democrats are expected to move to immediately dismiss the charges, while Republicans have pushed for a full trial.
The House sent the articles of impeachment to the Senate Tuesday — about two months after they passed the House is a narrow vote — and senators will be sworn in at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Follow along with live updates below:
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02:10 PMApril 17, 2024
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Schumer raises point of order objection to dismiss first impeachment article
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has raised a point-of-order objection to the first article of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Senate Republicans have responded by asking for a quorum call to give them some time to decide their next move.
If the Senate votes to sustain Schumer’s point of order against the first House-passed article of impeachment, it would effectively dismiss the first charge against Mayorkas of willfully failing to comply with the law.
Then Schumer is expected to raise another point of order against the second impeachment article charging Mayorkas with breach of public trust.
Schumer moved to immediately dismiss the first article of impeachment after Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) objected to the Democratic leader’s request for unanimous consent to consider two Republican-sponsored resolutions to hold a floor trial and to refer the impeachment to a special committee.
— Alexander Bolton
02:07 PMApril 17, 2024
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Republicans huddle on Senate floor
Republican Sens. John Thune (S.D.), Ted Cruz (Texas), John Kennedy (La.), Mike Lee (Utah), John Cornyn (Texas) and Bill Cassidy (La.), along with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s (Ky.) top aide are huddling on the Senate floor as the Senate takes a vote.
— Al Weaver
02:00 PMApril 17, 2024
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Senators commanded to keep silent
Senate sergeant-at-arms Karen Gibson commanded all senators to “keep silent under the pain of imprisonment” while the Senate impeachment proceedings take place on the floor.
The strict limitations on senators’ speech on the floor during an impeachment trial makes it difficult for lawmakers to delay or interrupt the action.
— Alexander Bolton
01:32 PMApril 17, 2024
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Senators sworn in as jurors
Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.) swore in members of the Senate around 1:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday to serve as jurors in the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Senators stood at their desks, holding their right hands in the air as they swore to “do impartial justice according to the Constitution and the laws.”
They then traveled to the Senate desk in groups of four to sign the oath book.
— Alexander Bolton
01:30 PMApril 17, 2024
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Murray sworn in to preside over chamber
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has sworn in Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to preside over the chamber as it takes up the articles of impeachment.
01:02 PMApril 17, 2024
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Tillis expects proceedings to conclude this afternoon
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said that a time agreement remains out of reach, but that he expects proceedings to end this afternoon.
“I think it’s going to be points of order, disposed over two hours,” he said, adding that he believes this will be wrapped up ahead of dinner time. “Without debate, it would just require too many points of order.”
“I’m not changing my dinner plans,” he added.
— Al Weaver
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4599718-mayorkas-impeachment-senate-live-coverage/
mystery-ak:
02:22 PMApril 17, 2024
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Schumer tries to outflank Republicans with procedural tactic
In a crafty move, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is frontrunning Senate Republicans’ plan to offer multiple points of order on the Senate floor to protest the dismissal of the two impeachment articles against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Specifically, Schumer has offered his own point of order declaring that the House impeachment charges are unconstitutional because they do not “allege conduct that rise to the level of a high crime or misdemeanor.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who is presiding over the trial, said she does not have the power or authority to decide the question and will let the entire Senate vote on Schumer’s objection.
Because Schumer is moving to effectively dismiss the first article of impeachment through a point of order, Republicans cannot first force the Senate to vote on their own points of order demanding a floor trial or to refer the impeachment to a special committee.
— Alexander Bolton
02:21 PMApril 17, 2024
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is huddling at the back of the chamber with fellow GOP Sens. John Kennedy (La.), Roger Marshall (Kansas) and Ted Budd (N.C.), along with House conservatives including Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Matt Rosendale (Mont.) and Clay Higgins (La.).
Republicans are deciding their next move after Schumer raised a point-of-order objection to the first article of impeachment.
— Al Weaver
mystery-ak:
C-Span 2 is covering this live..
mystery-ak:
Watch the latest video at foxnews.com
mystery-ak:
03:12 PMApril 17, 2024
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McConnell attempts to table Schumer objection to constitutionality
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) chided his Senate Democratic colleagues for not taking their constitutional duty more seriously by allowing the House impeachment managers to present their case against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the Senate floor.
“Our colleagues know that we ae obligated to take these proceedings seriously. This is what our oath prescribes. It’s what the history and precedent require. And I would urge each of our colleagues to consider that this is what the Framers actually envisioned,” he said.
The Senate rejected McConnell’s motion to table Schumer’s objection to the constitutionality of the House impeachment charges by a vote of 51 to 49.
— Alexander Bolton
03:05 PMApril 17, 2024
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Kennedy tries to adjourn impeachment proceedings in protest
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) attempted to force the Senate impeachment trial to adjourn to protest Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) effort to declare the two impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas unconstitutional.
“My Democratic friends have refused to go into closed session so we can’t discuss it. For that reason, Madam President, I move that we adjourn this court of impeachment immediately,” Kennedy announced.
He asked to adjourn the Senate impeachment proceeding until April 30.
The Senate voted down Kennedy’s motion to adjourn 51 to 49 along party lines.
— Alexander Bolton
02:56 PMApril 17, 2024
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Cruz tries to block Schumer attempt to dismiss first impeachment article
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stood up on the Senate floor to block Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-N.Y.) attempt to declare the impeachment charges unconstitutional by offering a motion to send the Senate into closed session to debate it.
“The majority leader argued that Secretary Mayorkas’s defiance of immigration law and abiding and abetting, does not constitute a high crime or misdemeanor, he has presented no briefing or argument on that decision,” Cruz argued.
The Senate voted down the motion 51 to 49.
Schumer retorted that he offered Republicans a chance to debate the constitutionality of the charges in public.
“We gave your side a chance for debate in public where it should be, and your side objected. We are moving forward,” he declared.
— Alexander Bolton
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