The greatest things always happen in the American House of Representatives, but Al Green’s performance stood out even in this ring. The Democratic representative from Texas was wheeled into the chamber on Tuesday afternoon in a wheelchair – according to the NBC television station, he was still wearing the blue uniform and socks from the hospital that Green had quickly left for the occasion. Democrats needed his vote to stop Republicans from impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
This would have been the first impeachment of a current Cabinet member in 150 years. Republican elected officials accuse Democrat Mayorkas of Joe Biden’s government of having a southern border that is far too permeable. But the first attempt to tip it failed miserably. The vote ended 216:214 against the proposal, with the Democratic faction in the parliamentary chamber narrowly in the minority.
Four from the GOP voted against their colleagues’ proposal
Her patient’s emergency response was just one reason for the exit. It wasn’t easy after his operation, Al Green said. But he always planned to be there. “Mr. Mayorkas is a good man, this was a bad move. I had to be here.” The other reason was that the opponents not only lacked a patient of their own, but also had enough healthy Republicans left out.
Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise is being treated for cancer and is currently unable to help. But then four party members present voted “No”. This was expected from Ken Buck from Colorado and Tom McClintock from California; moderate conservatives had also criticized the maneuver against Mayorkas. Surprisingly, Wisconsin’s Mike Gallagher and Blake Moore also joined the Rebels afterward.
The Republicans are threatening to find a majority against him: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
(Photo: Kevin Wolf/DPA)
Four insurgents from our own ranks were enough for this republican debacle. The Democrats are said to have cheered with enthusiasm, while the losers were horrified. One can imagine Donald Trump’s anger, because the former president does not sit in Parliament but is planning to return to the White House. But he also has the say in this US border dispute and gives his people orders that at least a few Republicans resist.
This was a failure, especially for his governor, Mike Johnson, the Speaker in the House of Representatives. He only has his job because predecessor Kevin McCarthy was overthrown by Trump’s hardliners a few months ago and Johnson was then allowed to succeed him with Trump’s help. He is actually supposed to have his troops under control. Especially before such a daring vote of no confidence against Biden’s top border guard, the ringleader should have known whether there was enough support for it.
The Trump Party’s infighting is paralyzing the nation
In this case, Johnson and Trump miscalculated. As of now, this is good for Mayorkas and the Democrats. And indicative of the state of the Republicans, often called the Grand Old Party in the USA. “Dysfunction in Congress,” has the New York Times called it – the GOP’s defeats were piling up. Johnson also wanted to have a separate decision made on aid for Israel, but that also failed. A compromise paper that is supposed to secure billions of dollars for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and the US southern border is being boycotted by Johnson’s team on Trump’s behalf. In the Senate, this is seen as a Republican rebellion against their own faction leader Mitch McConnell, who wants to cooperate with the Democrats on this issue.
So the trench warfare continues and paralyzes the nation. The constant chaos has long been damaging America’s reputation, business and politics. In the two chambers on Capitol Hill, a handful of radicals or moderates are often enough to push through or prevent weird or sensible ideas. Things have now gotten to the point where a Republican consultant would apparently like to have a fired fraudster back. “Maybe we shouldn’t have kicked Santos out,” he wrote, NBC also learned. “Have you missed me yet?” posted George Santos, who was recently expelled for his countless lies.
In reality, the attack on Mayorkas was just Plan B, mocks Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “You actually want to impeach Joe Biden, but you know that’s unpopular.” Some Republicans want to step up their game against Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security. “Of course my colleagues who voted no will hear from their voters,” threatens hard-right Marjorie Taylor Greene, who suggested impeachment. It’s not over yet, she says, you can still bring Steve Scalise back.
The Republicans in the House of Representatives have “full intention of impeaching Secretary Mayorkas as soon as we have the necessary votes,” writes a spokesman for Johnson. The Democrat Green will certainly be one of those who oppose it again, if at all possible.