(LibertyInsider.org) – House Republicans have agreed to grant a request from GOP senators who asked for more time to prepare their case against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. On April 9, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) confirmed that he would temporarily hold off on forwarding the related articles of impeachment to the Senate to facilitate the delay.
Johnson now intends to present the articles no sooner than Monday, April 15. However, this isn’t the first time Republican lawmakers have announced a delay in the proceedings since they first moved to impeach Mayorkas in February. Johnson announced a similar delay in late March, setting a new tentative date of April 10 at that time.
House Republicans postpone sending Mayorkas impeachment articles to Senate https://t.co/LIqCIddHGR
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) April 9, 2024
Republicans won’t just benefit from the delay by having more breathing room to consider the facts of the Mayorkas case. Scheduling the delivery of impeachment articles for the start of a new work week will ensure that a higher number of GOP senators are present in the chamber when the transfer occurs. Democrats are expected to offer pushback, with many considering the attempt to impeach Mayorkas a “politically motivated sham.”
Lawmakers may be more inclined to consider it more closely on a Monday, too, according to Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX). Speaking to reporters at CBS News on April 9, he said that most leaders are anxiously focused on leaving by late in the week. “You’re aware on Thursday afternoon senators rush to the airport and fly to get out of here,” he said. “The advantage of starting the week with it is it enables the Senate to focus on it.”
Whether the pause will be enough to secure Republicans the win they’re looking for, however, remains unclear. Democrats and the independents who caucus with them currently hold a 51:49 majority in the Senate. Republicans would need substantial support from across the aisle — at least 17 votes — to move forward. The highly partisan divisions involved in the case, combined with outspoken criticism from Democrats, make that outcome unlikely.
Republicans do not appear to be letting these challenging odds interfere with their momentum. During a conference on April 9, Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) issued a strong warning to any Democrat pushing to table the matter on Monday. “This is a nuclear option,” he explained, according to CBS News, “and it will necessitate some type of nuclear retaliations.”
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