Senate Dismisses First Impeachment Article Against Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas
Bill Dies Along Party Lines, Sparing Secretary from Trial
Majority Leader McConnell Declares Impeachment "Unconstitutional"
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Senate voted 49-51 on Wednesday to dismiss the first article of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, effectively ending the effort to remove him from office.
The vote fell largely along party lines, with all Republicans and one Democrat, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, voting in favor of dismissal. This comes after the House of Representatives voted 233-197 to impeach Mayorkas in October 2021 on charges of dereliction of duty related to the management of the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Senate trial, which began on Monday, saw both sides present their arguments. Democrats argued that Mayorkas's actions constituted "high crimes and misdemeanors" justifying his removal from office. Republicans countered that the impeachment was politically motivated and that Mayorkas had not committed any impeachable offenses.
In the end, the majority of senators concluded that the evidence against Mayorkas was insufficient to warrant his removal from office. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) declared the impeachment process "unconstitutional" and a "partisan charade" intended to damage the Biden administration.
With the dismissal of the first article of impeachment, Mayorkas is expected to remain in his position as Homeland Security Secretary. However, the impeachment proceedings have further heightened tensions between Democrats and Republicans and raised questions about the future of political accountability in the United States.
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