Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer made an announcement on Wednesday stating that Democrats plan to dismiss the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“Today marks the beginning of the trial, and we find ourselves once again serving as jurors for the third time in four years. However, this particular trial stands out as the least legitimate, least substantive, and most politicized impeachment trial in the history of the United States,” Schumer stated during his address on the Senate floor.
Schumer emphasized the importance of preserving the Senate’s integrity and safeguarding the impeachment process for only exceptional cases. He urged senators to dismiss the current charges.
When they convene at 1 p.m. EDT, Senators are anticipated to engage in a heated debate, with divisions largely falling along party lines, regarding whether to proceed with a comprehensive trial of Mayorkas. The focus of the trial will be on his management of immigration policy and the situation at the southern border.
In today’s trial, we will convene to address the concerns of our Republican Senate colleagues. To honor their wishes, I will propose an agreement that includes a designated period for debate. This will allow Republicans to present their trial resolutions and raise points of order. Following this, there will be a motion to dismiss. Schumer expressed this intention, stating, “I will seek an agreement for a period of debate time that would allow Republicans to offer a vote on trial resolutions, allow for Republicans to offer points of order and then move to dismiss.”
House GOP managers presented two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas on Tuesday. The next step in the proceedings involves senators being sworn in as jurors and sitting as a court of impeachment on Wednesday afternoon.
Since the Senate is under Democratic control, they have the potential to swiftly secure a vote for the dismissal of the articles, provided they remain united. A mere 51 votes would be required for this outcome to be achieved.
There is a strong belief among Democrats that the accusations made in the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas are unfounded and driven by political motives. The articles claim that Mayorkas has willfully and systematically refused to comply with the law and has breached the public’s trust.
Schumer, however, is encountering resistance from Senate Republicans who are infuriated by the notion of not having a complete trial.
“This is pure political maneuvering,” remarked Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana during a press conference held on Tuesday, where he stood alongside the House impeachment managers.
In expressing his strong disapproval, he criticized Senator Schumer’s upcoming actions as both fatuous and fraudulent, going so far as to call them an insult to the Senate itself. He firmly believed that such actions would undermine the rule of law and ultimately do a disservice to every American citizen.
Republicans have limited options to fulfill their demands if Democrats remain united, besides voicing their grievances.
There is uncertainty surrounding their decision to do so.
Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, is facing a challenging reelection battle in a state that is becoming more Republican. Despite the pressure, Tester has not made a commitment on whether he will support a motion to dismiss the articles of impeachment. He has been cautious in his approach, stating that he will wait to make a decision until he has thoroughly read the articles.
During the reading of the articles in the Senate by impeachment manager Rep. Mark Green on Tuesday, it is worth mentioning that Tester, who was originally seated in the chamber, decided to leave his seat and make his way to the cloak room.
During the GOP news conference, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, criticized him for it.
According to Cruz, Jon Tester seemed to be avoiding the situation as he was noticeably absent. Cruz suggested that Tester may have been hesitant to confront the evidence presented by the managers regarding the harmful consequences of the policies he supports.
The ultimate decision of Tester remains uncertain. However, if he remains loyal to his party, there is little room for Republicans to compel a trial to proceed. Nonetheless, they will not make the process effortless.
If Democrats are looking to swiftly set aside the trial, Republicans are anticipated to present various procedural points of order that would require votes and potentially consume several hours of floor time.
According to Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., there have been ongoing discussions about a potential agreement that would involve allowing several hours of debate on whether a trial is necessary before ultimately voting on a motion to dismiss.
According to Tillis, having a discussion or debate about the potential offer provides an opportunity for us to strengthen our case.
It is uncertain if all senators would give their consent, making it difficult to reach an agreement.
Senators also have the option to send the trial to a committee for further consideration when an impeachment is filed against a non-sitting president.
Senator Mike Lee from Utah, who has been one of the voices calling for a trial, has indicated that this outcome might be seen as “acceptable.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has affirmed his firm opposition to the Democratic attempts to dismiss the impeachment effort. He emphasized the significance of the Senate’s responsibility in approaching this matter with utmost seriousness.
The Senate will convene for only the 19th time in our history to make a ruling on the impeachment of a high-ranking government official. This is a weighty responsibility that must be approached with utmost seriousness.
“I am fully committed to devoting my complete and focused attention to these charges. However, for senators to effectively hold a trial, they must be given the opportunity to do so. This aligns with the historical and precedent-based approach. It is worth noting that the Senate has never agreed to a motion to table articles of impeachment,” stated McConnell.
