What we’re covering here
- Impeachment effort fails: The GOP-led House failed to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a stunning defeat and embarrassment for Republican leadership. The vote was 214-216, with several Republicans joining Democrats in voting against the resolution.
- How we got here: The House Homeland Security Committee voted to advance impeachment articles last week claiming Mayorkas has committed high crimes and misdemeanors for his handling of the southern border, even though constitutional experts have said the evidence does not reach that high bar. Republicans could only afford to lose a handful votes tonight on the House floor and they were unable to garner enough support after eleventh-hour absences and defections.
- Border bill expected to fail: Meanwhile, a $118 billion bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package is now on track to fail as GOP infighting threatens to steamroll any congressional response to the border. President Joe Biden blamed former President Donald Trump, saying he had derailed a painstakingly negotiated bill.
JUST IN: House GOP fails to impeach Mayorkas
The House, with the slimmest margin of 214-216, failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. It’s a colossal embarrassment for Republican leaders, who pushed the issue for political reasons despite legal scholars disputing the GOP case.
The vote comes after a spate of vacancies largely on the Republican side that made the margins for House Speaker Mike Johnson incredibly tight.
Three Republicans, Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher, and California Rep. Tom McClintock, joined the Democrats in voting against the resolution. GOP Rep. Blake Moore of Utah joined the no side to allow the House GOP to bring up the vote again.
House Republicans also have three vacancies after the departures of Kevin McCarthy and Bill Johnson, and the expulsion of George Santos.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise was not present for the vote, as he is still recovering in Louisiana from a stem cell transplant.
