- Rep. Tom McClintock announces he will vote against the resolution to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, becoming the second Republican to defy the GOP’s plans.
- Only two defections are permitted for the impeachment resolution to pass, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise unable to vote. The vote is scheduled for Tuesday evening.
- McClintock argues that his colleagues have failed to prove any impeachable crime and questions the role of President Biden in the border chaos. He predicts the resolution’s failure in the Senate and criticizes the misuse of impeachment power.
Additional Coverage:
Rep. Tom McClintock, a Republican from California, has announced that he will vote against a resolution to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. This decision puts the GOP’s plans in jeopardy, as McClintock becomes the second Republican to go against the party. In a 10-page memo, McClintock criticized Mayorkas but argued that his party had failed to prove any impeachable crime. He stated that his colleagues had not demonstrated any high crime or misdemeanor as required by the Constitution.
The Republicans can only afford to lose three votes to pass their impeachment resolution, assuming all members are present. However, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise absent for cancer treatment, there is only room for two GOP defections. The House is scheduled to vote on the impeachment resolution Tuesday evening. The articles of impeachment against Mayorkas accuse him of violating immigration laws, particularly by not detaining enough migrants. The accusation of “breach of public trust” has also drawn criticism.
Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado has already declared that he will vote against the Mayorkas resolution, claiming that his colleagues did not meet the constitutional standards. McClintock echoed this sentiment and argued that President Biden bears ultimate responsibility for the border chaos. He questioned how Mayorkas can be impeached for not doing his job when he is carrying out the will of the president. McClintock referred to op-eds written by conservative legal scholars, including Alan Dershowitz, who have condemned the GOP’s use of impeachment authority.
McClintock delved into constitutional history and the uses of impeachment, urging lawmakers from both parties to carefully consider the extent of this power before expanding it. He also expressed doubt about the resolution’s future in the Democratic-led Senate, calling it “delusional” to think Mayorkas would ever be removed from office. He anticipated that the vote would likely be along party lines or even see bipartisan opposition to what he views as a misuse of power.
Emily Brooks contributed to this article.