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Capitol building in Washington, DC
Photo: Daniel Slim / AFP
The Republicans in the US House of Representatives may have imagined this session a little differently. What was planned as a high-profile attack on the political opponent became a political own goal - also very public. The conservative party has initially failed in its efforts to impeach Democratic Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
A narrow majority of MPs in the Chamber of Parliament voted against a corresponding request for such a procedure on Tuesday evening (local time). Although the Republicans have a slim majority in the House of Representatives, they were unable to get their plan passed. Individual Republican representatives voted against it together with the Democrats. The result was extremely close at 214 to 216 votes.
Tom McClintock, Ken Buck and Mike Gallagher were the Republican dissenters. Significant pressure is now likely to be exerted on them to change their minds. During the current vote, various party representatives tried to convince their party colleagues. Among other things, the right-wing hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene excitedly talked to Gallagher in the meeting room - without success. At the same time, angry calls for order came from the ranks of the Democrats.
The chamber's Republican chairman, Mike Johnson, had previously expressed optimism that the proposal would be passed. For him and his party, the vote means a bitter defeat. Immediately after the vote, Johnson's spokesman announced on
The Secretary of Homeland Security is an enemy of many Republicans. They accuse President Joe Biden's Democrats of having lost control of protecting the US southern border in view of the large number of immigrants. With regard to migration and border security, the Republicans accuse the Cuban-born minister of deliberately and systematically refusing to comply with applicable law. In addition, the 64-year-old knowingly provided false information and placed his political preferences above compliance with the law. The Democrats, on the other hand, accuse the Republicans of a party-politically motivated maneuver.
Impeachment is unlikely – but the signal counts
If impeachment proceedings do take place, it would be the first against a member of the US Cabinet in almost 150 years. After approval in the House of Representatives, the Senate, as the second chamber of Congress, would have to decide whether to remove the minister from office. President Biden's Democrats have a slim majority there.
It is therefore unlikely that Mayorkas could ultimately be removed from office. However, impeachment proceedings in an election year would draw further attention to the issue of migration and border security.
Biden, who wants to run again in the election like his likely Republican challenger Donald Trump, is coming under increasing pressure on the issue. On the one hand, his opponents are driving him ahead of him in the election campaign. On the other hand, the Republicans in Congress are blocking further US aid for Ukraine, which is attacked by Russia, in the dispute over a stricter asylum policy.
jok/dpa