Sen. Rick Scott trolls VP Harris with ask to preside over Mayorkas impeachment trial
By: nypost (New York Post)
Good one LMAO
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) mocked Vice President Kamala Harris Tuesday by asking her to preside over the upcoming impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas — noting that as President Biden's "border czar," the veep "should be keenly interested" in finding out whether Mayorkas flouted federal immigration law.
"When President Biden appointed you as the 'border czar' in early 2021, he tasked you with 'stemming the migration to our southern border," Scott wrote in a letter to Harris, after noting the record-setting numbers of illegal crossers into the US.
"In accepting that appointment, you acknowledged a need 'to deal with the root causes' of the flows of illegal immigration across our southern border," added the Floridian.
"As such, you should be keenly interested in learning whether a high-ranking member of your administration is one of those 'root causes' through his willful and persistent refusal to enforce our country's immigration laws, frustrating the very core function of your role as President Biden's 'border czar.'"
The two impeachment articles approved by the House of Representatives last week fault Mayorkas for failing to enforce federal immigration laws, lying to Congress about the US border being "secure" and flouting subpoenas from committees investigating him.
Under the Constitution, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court must preside over Senate impeachment trials of presidents, while either the vice president or Senate president pro tempore is tasked with sitting in on trials for federal judges and Cabinet-level officials.
The House only has to approve impeachment by a majority vote, whereas the Senate must convict by a two-thirds majority.
Senate president pro tempore Patty Murray (D-Wash.) is expected to receive the articles on Tuesday and oversee the Senate trial.
5Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Tuesday asked Vice President Kamala Harris to preside over the upcoming impeachment trial of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tapped Murray to preside over the trial — but it remains unclear whether the effort will fail on an initial procedural vote in the Democrat-controlled upper chamber.
"There will absolutely be many who believe his case merits removal from office and will vote accordingly," a Senate GOP aide previously told The Post. "Since Democrats control the chamber, however, it's basically certain that the vote will fail — if Schumer allows it to happen in the first place."
"There has never in American history been an impeachment where the Senate has refused to vote on the matter," the aide said. "If Schumer kills it procedurally, without a vote, it would be unprecedented."
5The two impeachment articles fault Mayorkas for failing to enforce federal immigration laws, lying to Congress about the US border being "secure" and flouting subpoenas from committees investigating him. AFP via Getty Images
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) took a swipe at House GOP leadership and called the impeachment articles "dead on arrival" — deploying the same term House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and others used to describe Lankford's now-failed national security bill with border enforcement provisions.
Johnson named 11 GOP impeachment managers to make the case for conviction during a Senate trial: House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (Tenn.) and Reps. Michael Guest (Miss.), Michael McCaul (Texas), August Pfluger (Texas), Clay Higgins (La.), Ben Cline (Va.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Andrew Garbarino (NY), Harriet Hageman (Wyo.), Laurel Lee (Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.).
On Feb. 13, House Republicans impeached Mayorkas by a single vote, making him only the second US Cabinet official to receive the rebuke, after Secretary of War William Belknap was impeached for corruption in 1867 and resigned before he could be removed.
5Scott wrote in a Tuesday letter to Harris that adding that as the president's "border czar" she "should be keenly interested" in finding out whether Mayorkas flouted federal immigration law. Shutterstock
Three Republican lawmakers — Reps. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) and Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) — voted against impeaching Mayorkas, saying that the actions of Biden's top border enforcement official had not committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" and could lower the standard for subsequent impeachments to policy disputes.
Mia Ehrenberg, a spokeswoman for Mayorkas, said in a statement after the vote that "House Republicans will be remembered by history for trampling on the Constitution for political gain rather than working to solve the serious challenges at our border."
5House Republicans impeached Mayorkas by a single vote, making him only the second US Cabinet official to receive the rebuke after Secretary of War William Belknap, who served under President Ulysses S. Grant, was impeached in 1867 for corruption. YURI GRIPAS/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutter
Every year since Biden took office, the number of southern border crossings has increased — with the highest-ever monthly total recorded in December 2023.
More than 7.2 million have been apprehended along the US-Mexico border during the president's tenure, according to Customs and Border Protection data, and at least 1.8 million known "gotaways" have evaded arrest while coming into the country.
That has led to a backlog of more than 3 million cases in immigration courts nationwide, as CBP agents have released "higher than 85%" of migrants into the US to await asylum claims and other hearings.
5Scott said as the president's "border czar" Harris "should be keenly interested" in finding out whether Mayorkas flouted federal immigration law. REUTERS
The impeachment resolution, authored by Greene, accused Mayorkas of implementing "catch and release" policies and humanitarian parole "en masse" in violation of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act.
It also alleged that the Homeland Security secretary falsely claimed he had "operational control" of the US border as defined by the Secure Fence Act of 2006.
Recent public polling shows that immigration ranks as the top concern for Americans ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
"Instead of wasting time playing political games and pursuing a baseless impeachment, Senator Rick Scott should explain to the American people why he voted against a bipartisan bill that would help secure the border," Harris deputy spokesman Ernesto Apreza said.
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Poetic Justice ....................Funny stuff right there
Rick Scott: "We would like you, VP Kamala Harris, to preside over the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas ".
Kamala Harris: "Certainly, what high crime or misdemeanor should I announce that he committed?"
Rick Scott: "We were hoping you could think of one."
"since you are a Democrat and have proven over the last 8 years or so that you are a firm believer in "Show me the man and I'll give you the crime".
I am not now, nor have I ever been a Democrat. So you will need to direct that lie elsewhere.
Didn't say YOU were. I was finishing Scott's sentence to Harris for you. SMH
HOUSE RESOLUTION 8
Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Resolved, That Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors and that the following articles of impeachment be exhibited to the United States Senate:
Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Article I.—In his conduct while Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, in violation of his constitutional oath, engaged in a pattern of conduct that is incompatible with his duties as an Officer of the United States, as follows:
Article II of the Constitution tasks the Executive branch, which today includes the Secretary of Homeland Security, with ensuring the laws passed by Congress and signed into law by the President are faithfully executed. Specifically, the Secure the Fence Act of 2006 ( Public Law 109–367 ) requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to “maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States”.
The term “operational control” is defined as “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband”.
Over 5,500,000 illegal aliens have crossed our southern border under the leadership of Secretary Mayorkas. There have now been 20 straight months with over 150,000 illegal border crossings. Secretary Mayorkas has presided over a 180-percent increase in encounters at the southern border compared to the previous administration.
In fiscal year 2022, 98 individuals on the Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) were apprehended at the southern border, more than during the previous 5 years combined. In total, more than 100 individuals on the TSDB have been apprehended under Secretary Mayorkas.
Under Secretary Mayorkas, more fentanyl has crossed the border in the last 2 months than in all of fiscal year 2019 under President Trump’s leadership. In fiscal year 2022, over 14,000 pounds of poisonous fentanyl was seized at the southern border. Fentanyl overdoses are the number one cause of death for individuals ages 18 to 45 nationwide.
Under Secretary Mayorkas, the Department of Homeland Security is also in violation the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. ). This Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain inadmissible aliens arriving in the United States or aliens who are present in the United States without inspection until processed. In violation of the law, Secretary Mayorkas implemented catch-and-release directives such as the Notice to Report process and the parole plus Alternatives to Detention process. Through these misguided programs, over 1,000,000 illegal aliens have been recklessly released into the interior of the United States.
Secretary Mayorkas has undermined the operational control of our southern border and encouraged illegal immigration by doing the following:
(1) Terminating contracts for additional border wall construction, in contradiction of Congressional appropriations.
(2) Ending the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as “Remain in Mexico”, which was an indispensable tool to address the border crisis and restore integrity to the immigration system.
(3) Attempting to eliminate title 42 authority, a critical tool enabling the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to quickly expel illegal aliens.
Secretary Mayorkas has violated the law and gravely endangered the national security of the United States through these actions.
Wherefore, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, by such conduct, warrants impeachment, trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit within the United States Federal Government.
Article II.—In his conduct while Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, in violation of his constitutional oath, willfully provided perjurious, false, and misleading testimony to Congress, as follows:
On April 28, 2022, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Congressman Chip Roy of Texas asked Secretary Mayorkas, “Will you testify under oath that we have operational control of the border?”.
Under oath, Secretary Mayorkas responded, “Yes we do”.
On November 15, 2022, during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing, Congressman Dan Bishop of North Carolina asked, “Secretary Mayorkas, do you continue to maintain that the border is secure?”.
Under oath, Secretary Mayorkas responded, “Yes, and we are working day in and day out to enhance security, Congressman”.
As previously described, the term “operational control” is defined as “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband”.
Section 1621 of title 18, United States Code, stipulates that anyone who “willfully and contrary to such oath states or subscribes any material matter which he does not believe to be true” is guilty of perjury and shall be fined or imprisoned up to 5 years, or both.
The record-breaking number of illegal alien encounters, including over 1,000,000 known “gotaways”, as well as the record seizures of deadly fentanyl and other contraband, prove that Secretary Mayorkas has not ensured operational control of the southern border.
Secretary Mayorkas clearly committed perjury on multiple occasions before Congress.
Wherefore, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, by such conduct, warrants impeachment, trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.
Article III.—In his conduct while Secretary of Homeland Security of the United States, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas knowingly slandered his own hardworking Border Patrol agents and mislead the general public, as follows:
On September 19, 2021, approximately 15,000 Haitian migrants had crossed the border from Mexico into the United States and were concentrated in an encampment underneath the international bridge from Mexico to the Del Rio, Texas, Port of Entry (POE), and surrounding areas.
Mounted Border Patrol agents and troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS) dispersed a large group of migrants gathered near a boat ramp located along the side of the United States of the Rio Grande River, approximately three-tenths of a mile east of the Del Rio POE. They then attempted to stop the flow of all migrants illegally crossing the river into the United States at that location.
Within hours of the incident, images and video surfaced on social media that showed multiple Border Patrol agents on horseback using their horses to keep several illegal immigrants from entering the United States after crossing the Rio Grande in Del Rio, Texas.
Extremist liberal activists rushed to judgement and falsely accused the agents of “whipping” the illegal immigrants with their horse reins. Some went so far as to make the disgusting false equivalency to slavery.
President Joe Biden publicly repeated the slanderous claim saying “To see people treated like they did … people being strapped–it’s outrageous. I promise you, those people will pay”.
Vice President Kamala Harris said “Human beings should not be treated that way, and as we all know, it also evoked images of some of the worst moments of our history where that kind of behavior has been used against the indigenous people of our country, has been used against African Americans during times of slavery”.
Secretary Mayorkas supported the Biden administration’s false narrative that Border Patrol agents whipped Haitian migrants, even after he had been alerted by subordinates the narrative was false.
On September 24, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Marsha Espinosa, emailed Secretary Mayorkas a news article that said the photographer who took the images did not see the agents whipping anyone.
That same day, Secretary Mayorkas participated in a White House press conference during which he publicly and falsely slandered these agents. Secretary Mayorkas called the images “horrifying” and an example of “systemic racism”.
A 511-page report by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Personal Responsibility found “no evidence that [Border Patrol agents] involved in this incident struck, intentionally or otherwise, any migrant with their reins”.
Secretary Mayorkas slandered his own Border Patrol agents and TXDPS Troopers involved in this incident, contributing to a further decrease in already-low morale among agents.
Wherefore, Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, by such conduct, warrants impeachment, trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.
Pretty damned convincing if you ask me. Thank you!
The Senate Democrats are going to show us their disregard and distain for the laws and national security of our country by voting to NOT convict Mayorkas whose actions and inactions amount to treason.