As Julio described Wednesday, email documents released by Fox News’ Bill Melugin show that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas knew that the much-maligned Border Patrol agents were not actually whipping undocumented immigrants. Mayorkas has still failed to defend them. Calls for impeachment of secretary, with articles of impeachment first submitted by Last August, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) increased his support.
Biggs continued the conversation on Twitter on Wednesday.
Alejandro Mayorkas must be impeached, especially after today’s breaking news.
I have already presented the articles of impeachment.
— Rep. Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) October 12, 2022
Alejandro Mayorkas defamed his own employees to score political points.
He violated his oath of office and outright lied to the American people.
His career should be over.
— Rep. Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) October 12, 2022
— Rep. Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) October 12, 2022
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has also called for Mayorkas’ impeachment and in March sent out a letter and a memo formally asking other Republicans to join him.
“Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas must be impeached; he should have been impeached long before this for many reasons. I made the case for impeachment last spring, and this latest revelation shows a complete disregard for his duties and those entrusted with his leadership,” Rep. Roy Townhall said in a statement about the latest revelations.
Even before such revelations broke on Wednesday, there were rumors of articles of impeachment, especially if Republicans actually take control of the House of Representatives, as is expected. The focus has been on impeaching President Joe Biden, but such articles have also been filed against Secretary Mayorkas, as noted, as well as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) has been particularly vocal about impeachment, including with regard to Mayorkas. She also tweeted on Wednesday and Thursday, including retweeting Rep. Biggs.
I co-sponsored @RepAndyBiggsAZ articles of impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkis.
Our country is under attack and people are dying every day.
Cartels control the border, and the scale of human trafficking is the largest in US history.
Mayorkis should be impeached. https://t.co/69OX4cNxTu
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 13, 2022
Under the Biden administration, the cartels control our southern border.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkis is tolerating the largest scale of human and drug trafficking in U.S. history, with scores of people dying every day.
We will impeach Mayorkis.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 12, 2022
.@AliMayorkas the walls work but you don’t. https://t.co/t9ZVX7gprm
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 12, 2022
Rep. Greene’s name has appeared in articles mentioning impeachment, and she has filed and co-sponsored articles of impeachment against various members of Biden’s Cabinet.
Discussion of articles of impeachment against Mayorkas took place recently raised by CNN last week. An Oct. 6 report by Melanie Zanona and Manu Raju noted in a headline that “this poses a test for McCarthy,” referring to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who is likely to become the next House speaker.
The main theme of the report, which came out before the latest revelations about Mayorkas, is that Mayorkas should be a priority for impeachment:
But more than a dozen top allies of former President Donald Trump in Congress — and several Republicans close to the leadership — told CNN the focus should instead be on aims at Alejandro MayorkasSecretary of Homeland Security and that the fresh Republican Party majority should pursue impeachment proceedings about problems at the borderSenior GOP sources close to the leadership say it’s a matter of when — not if — House Republicans will initiate an impeachment inquiry, and that Mayorkas has become their number one target, with their base eager for revenge after Trump’s two impeachments.
…
“Mayorcas certainly deserves (impeachment) because we don’t have a border anymore,” said Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a McCarthy ally who is in line to chair the powerful House Judiciary Committee, which is overseeing the impeachment proceedings.
But while Jordan personally supports the idea, he believes it will be a “conference decision,” saying, “I think we’ll all sit down. Kevin is open to sitting down and figuring out what we’re going to do.”
…
So far, McCarthy has carefully sidestepped questions about impeachment, saying Republicans do not intend to prejudge the outcome but are prepared to do whatever the facts and the law lead them to.
But McCarthy hasn’t closed the door on the idea, especially when it comes to Mayorkas. And when pressed by CNN on whether Mayorkas is susceptible to impeachment in the GOP-led House, he replied: “What happens at the border trumps everything else.”
…
Some lawmakers believe McCarthy may be more amenable to impeaching Mayorkas than Biden, describing it as a safety valve for inevitable pressure from his right. Taking on Mayorkas, even if it is a fruitless endeavor that almost certainly fails in the Senate, would also force more attention on immigration and the border, two issues that have riled the GOP base and that Republicans want to keep in the spotlight.
While the report notes that “McCarthy studiously sidestepped questions about impeachment,” it’s worth noting that on May 1, while answering questions from reporters, he mentioned impeachment. McCarthy discussed visits by House Republicans to the border, something members of the Biden administration, including the alleged border czar, Vice President Kamala Harris, have not done.
The Republican leader also discussed what members of his party can do while they are in the minority. McCarthy also pointed out that House Republicans have sent a letter to Mayorkas about the state of the border and his plan.
On impeachment, McCarthy said: “At any time, if someone is derelict in their duties, there is always the possibility of impeachment.”
It looks increasingly likely he will get his chance, especially if Republicans regain the majority in the House of Representatives.
