House

These 8 Republicans voted with Democrats to punt Mayorkas impeachment attempt

by Olafimihan Oshin - 11/13/23 9:47 PM ET

Eight House Republicans broke from their party Monday to vote against a resolution that was aimed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas from his position.

In a 209-201 vote, the House chamber decided to shelve the resolution, first introduced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and supported a motion to refer it to the Homeland Security Committee.

As a result, the proposed resolution was blocked from coming to the House floor for a vote, shielding lawmakers from having to weigh in on the matter directly.

Greene’s proposed resolution, which she moved to force a vote on last week, accuses Mayorkas of “willful admittance of border crossers” and says he has a duty to protect the U.S. from an “invasion.”

The Georgia lawmaker also accuses him of violating the Secure Fence Act, a 2006 law that demands perfection at the border by declaring the border operationally secure only if no people or contraband improperly enter the country.

Here are the eight House Republicans who voted against Greene’s resolution:

Rep. Patrick McHenry (N.C.)
Rep. Tom McClintock (Calif.)
Rep. John Duarte (Calif.)
Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.)
Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.)
Rep. Cliff Bentz (Ore.)
Rep. Ken Buck (Colo.)
Rep. Mike Turner (Ohio.)

Duarte told Axios before the vote that he would oppose an impeachment that hasn’t gone through regular order. He also noted an impeachment debate and vote taking up too much time as the government is working to avert a potential shutdown at the end of the week.

“We don’t have time to waste,” Duarte told the media outlet.

In a statement, McClintock said that while Mayorkas hasn’t done an efficient job as Homeland Security secretary, impeachment inquiries shouldn’t be used to punish someone over any political disagreement, noting that it is “antithetical to the fundamental architecture of the Constitution.”

“The House made a mockery of impeachment twice during the last session of Congress. We must not allow the left to become our teachers,” McClintock said. “If these clear constitutional principles are not restored, now, that power will be just one election from being turned against the constitutionalists on the Supreme Court, or upon any future Republican administration.”