Republicans make second chance to oust Alejandro Mayorkas: Majority Leader Steve Scalise will return to the Capitol after his cancer treatment as the GOP races to oust Biden’s border chief ahead of the election to fill George Santos’ seat
- Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi and Republican Mazi Pillip are locked in a tight race to take Santos’ place with elections on Tuesday
- Scalise, R-La., returns to Washington this week after autologous stem cell treatment for blood cancer multiple myeloma
Republicans in the House of Representatives will make a second attempt to impeach Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas this week with the return of Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
A second vote could happen as soon as Tuesday — as Republicans rush to get it done before the special election to fill ousted New York Rep. George Santos’ seat that day.
Former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi and Republican Mazi Pillip are locked in a tight race to take Santos’ place.
Scalise, R-La., returns to Washington after autologous stem cell treatment for blood cancer multiple myeloma.
“Leader Scalise has successfully completed his autologous stem cell treatment and has been medically cleared to resume travel,” his office said in a statement.
“He is in complete remission and will return to Washington next week to vote.”
“We are grateful that the House will this week welcome back my good brother and fellow countryman @SteveScalise, who is now in full remission from cancer,” Chairman Johnson wrote on Twitter
Mayorkas, center, said Sunday that he is undeterred by the Republican Party’s attacks on him
Meanwhile, Mayorkas said Sunday that he is undeterred by the Republican Party’s attacks on him.
“These are baseless allegations, Kristen, and that’s why I’m really not going to let them distract me and focus on the work of the Department of Homeland Security,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker. ‘I have a busy day today. After the show a busy working day. I have a busy day, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and so on.’
The impeachment resolution suffered a shocking defeat when three Republicans voted against it last week, and an absent Democrat — Republican Al Green — was wheeled in straight from the hospital to throw the fatal shot.
Republicans had brought back Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., wearing a full neck and chest brace as he recovered from a car accident to vote for the measure, but still fell one short as Green was on the floor in a wheelchair of the House appeared and scrubs.
Moments after the impeachment defeat, a vote to offer Israel $17.6 billion failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to pass under a suspension of rules.
Republicans believe Mayorkas should be charged with high crimes and misdemeanors for failing to enforce immigration laws and lying to Congress. Mayorkas has denied such claims and Democrats insist he is merely implementing the Biden administration’s policies.
Mayorkas blamed the “broken system” for Congress’ failure to act – after Republicans destroyed an immigration and foreign aid deal negotiated in the Senate.
“It is certainly a crisis and we bear no responsibility for a broken system,” Mayorkas said. ‘And we do a huge amount within that broken system. But fundamentally, fundamentally, Congress is the only one who can fix it.”
One of the Republicans who voted against impeachment, Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., said this weekend that he would not seek re-election at the end of his term.
“Impeachment would not only fail to resolve Mr. Biden’s border crisis, but would also set a dangerous new precedent that will be used against future Republican administrations,” Gallagher wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed about the impeachment efforts .