Senators took their official oath Wednesday to act as jurors for the impeachment trial of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, marking the first such event for a sitting Cabinet member in U.S. history.
All 100 senators — 49 Republicans, 48 Democrats and three independents — stood and were sworn in. Each of them signed an oath book. Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, Washington Democrat, presided over the proceeding.
In two impeachment articles, Mr. Mayorkas is accused by the House of being derelict in his duty of handling the southern border and lying to Congress about the illegal immigration crisis that’s played out under the Biden administration.
The trial is expected to last only several hours before Democrats cut it short by dispensing the articles with a majority vote, a precedent-setting move that Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said is warranted because the charges amount to a policy dispute — not high crimes and misdemeanors.
“It is beneath the dignity of the Senate to entertain this naked partisan exercise, one that both conservative and liberal legal scholars agree fails to meet the high standard demanded by impeachment,” the New York Democrat said.
Mr. Schumer offered Republicans limited debate time with the ability to make motions, which the GOP could use to force a vote on proceeding to trial.
Conservative senators are threatening to withhold future bipartisan cooperation that the Senate requires to conduct much of its daily business to protest Democrats’ derailment of the trail.
“Under the Constitution and the rules of impeachment, it is our job of this body to consider the articles of impeachment brought before us and to render judgment,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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