The Senate swiftly disposed of the articles of impeachment against Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, bringing the historic trial to an abrupt end as the Democratic majority dismissed Republican attempts to extend the process.
After House Republicans impeached Mayorkas on February 13, making him the first Cabinet secretary impeached in nearly 150 years, the Senate proceedings ended shortly after they began.
The Senate voted to declare the two articles of impeachment unconstitutional, with Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski as the lone Republican holdout, voting present on the first article.
The Senate trial marked the culmination of a political strategy by House Republicans to spotlight the Biden administration’s handling of the southern border before the election.
However, constitutional experts widely viewed the impeachment case as lacking substance and a distraction from other election year priorities.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer initially proposed an agreement to allow floor debate and votes before dismissing the case, but this was rejected by Republican objections.
Schumer then moved to table the impeachment articles, stating they did not meet the constitutional standard for high crimes or misdemeanors.
The Senate subsequently voted to kill both articles of impeachment.
Democrats criticized the impeachment as a political maneuver, emphasizing that policy disagreements should not justify a rare constitutional impeachment of a Cabinet official.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stressed the importance of giving the charges due consideration.
Republicans had targeted Mayorkas over the high number of border crossings, while the White House and DHS characterized the impeachment effort as baseless.
White House officials emphasized that Mayorkas would continue in his role, dismissing the impeachment inquiry as “meritless.”
In response to the Senate’s actions, the White House and DHS praised Senate Democrats for ending the impeachment proceedings, urging Congressional Republicans to focus on bipartisan border reforms rather than political games.
