(Just The News) The Democratic-led Senate killed both impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, cancelling the impeachment trial before it could get off the ground.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., offered a deal to the Senate GOP where senators would have time for floor debate and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, would be able to force votes on a full trial as well as the establishment of an impeachment committee. Schumer said votes on dismissing the impeachment articleswould follow. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said on the Senate floor that he objected to voting to dismiss the charges without a full trial.
After his objection, Schumer motioned for a floor vote on the constitutionality of impeachment article one against Mayorkas. Schumer argued that it does not rise to the level of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Cruz requested a vote that the Senate move to a closed session to debate the constitutionality of impeachment article one, given that Schumer didn’t outline evidence on the Senate floor to support his position. Schumer shot back, saying he gave the GOP a chance to debate the articles in public but Schmitt objected. The motion raised by Cruz failed to pass.
Schumer’s motion to deem article one unconstitutional ultimately passed 51-48. He then made a motion to deem article two unconstitutional, which also passed 51-49. The Senate passed a motion to adjourn the trial.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate set a very “dangerous precedent” by ignoring the House’s directions to have an impeachment trial.
