GOP: Vulnerable Dems Will ‘Pay the Price’ for Mayorkas Vote

(AP)

As predicted, the Senate dismissed the charges of high crimes and misdemeanors against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by a party-line vote on Wednesday with several Senate Republicans promising that vulnerable Democrats will “pay the price” come November.

The Republican-controlled House narrowly passed two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas by a single vote on Feb. 13. The House charged that Mayorkas has “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce existing immigration laws and breached the public trust by lying to Congress and stating that the border was secure.

The Senate voted 51-48 to dismiss the charges with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voting “present.” Wednesday was the first time in 225 years the Senate dismissed impeachment charges as opposed to holding a trial or creating a committee to review the articles brought by the House.

“I think they’re going to pay the price for it. The American people are tired of it,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., as reported by The Hill.

Democrat Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio are up for reelection this year in states that former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, won in 2020. Mike Berg, communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said their vote on Wednesday will be an issue come November.

“It’s absolutely going to haunt Tester and Brown and every other vulnerable Democrat who voted against even holding a trial and breaking this precedent,” Berg said.

Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., agreed that the vote will be an issue Republicans can use in the upcoming election.

“This actually matters to people. Is anybody ever going to be held accountable for allowing our borders to be broken, fentanyl coming in, people dying?” he asked. “I think this was really an abuse of the process and that the Senate has put in motion something it will regret, but Mr. Mayorkas should’ve been held accountable.”

“I think this is going to haunt the Senate and the country,” he said. “I hope it has political consequences.”