WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson will delay sending House of Representatives articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate this week as planned, after Republican senators on Tuesday asked for more time to build a case for a complete process.
The sudden change in plans raised new doubts about the proceedings, the historic first removal of a Cabinet secretary in about 150 years. House Republicans impeached Mayorkas over the Biden administration’s handling of security and immigration at the US-Mexico border.
Senators were expected to quickly reject the House-passed charges against Mayorkas. Democrats, who control the House, argue that the charges do not meet the constitutional bar of serious crimes and misdemeanors.
Johnson planned to have House impeachment managers forward the articles against Mayorkas on Wednesday evening. Under procedural rules, senators would have to convene as jurors the next day for a trial to decide whether the prosecutor will be convicted or acquitted.
Thursday’s trial was expected to be over quickly after several procedural votes to file or dismiss the charges.
But Republicans who want to hold Mayorkas accountable for border security are calling for a full trial. Republican senators discussed using delays to build the case during a private Republican lunch on Tuesday.
“To ensure that the Senate has sufficient time to fulfill its constitutional duty, the House will send the articles of impeachment to the Senate next week,” Johnson spokesman Taylor Haulsee said. “There is no reason for the Senate to abdicate its responsibility to conduct an impeachment trial.”
