Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) faced a rough and tumble Tuesday as a pack of rogue Republicans led a charge against two pivotal House votes. First up, despite GOP bigwigs’ high hopes, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dodged impeachment with just a hair’s breadth, as four turncoat Republicans sided against the motion. But fear not, conservative comrades, as Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green and the indomitable Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have boldly declared that the battle is far from over, vowing to resurrect the impeachment bill next week.
The impeachment showdown was a nail-biter with a razor-thin 214-216 vote, and even though a couple of wishy-washy Republicans had already defected, Johnson and the gang were inexplicably confident the impeachment would sail through. But then, bam! Rep. Al Green (D-TX) dramatically wheeled onto the scene after surgery, tipping the scales in favor of the Democrats and throwing Johnson into a panic as he scrambled to bring a trio of renegade GOPers back into the fold.
FYSA: Impeachment vote on Mayorkas will be brought back to the floor next week. Moore voted no so that it could be reconsidered next week. It’s a procedural maneuver so it’ll pass next week (pending votes).
— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) February 6, 2024
Hey, where was Majority Leader Steve Scalise in all this chaos? Unavailable due to health issues, of course. But, in a twist that could only happen in the wild world of politics, Green’s eleventh-hour entrance cost the Republicans their shot at Mayorkas. However, hope springs eternal, as Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) slyly flipped his vote in a tactical maneuver to ensure a comeback next week.
In the words of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, fear not, dear conservatives, for the impeachment vote will rise from the ashes like a phoenix next week, once Scalise returns to the fray. And speaking of coming back, Rep. Tony Gonzales, a strong supporter of the border, is steadfast in his resolve, vowing to continue the fight until Mayorkas is finally impeached.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security wasted no time in panning House Republicans for their failure to boot Mayorkas and their persistence in pursuing the impeachment. But who needs bipartisanship, right? House Speaker Johnson charged forward with a $17.6 billion aid package for Israel, only to meet fierce resistance from both sides of the aisle. Fourteen Republicans and a whopping 166 Democrats banded together to block the bill, fueled by none other than President Joe Biden’s veto threat.
The blame game was in full swing, with Johnson pointing fingers at Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for torpedoing the aid bill, leaving the beleaguered speaker to lament the missed opportunity to support our allies in the Middle East. Classic political drama, folks!
And just when things couldn’t get any stranger, Rep. Bennie Thompson, the House Homeland Security Committee’s top Democrat, sounded the alarm, calling out Republicans for their relentless pursuit of Mayorkas’ impeachment. Thompson served up a blistering takedown, labeling the impeachment push as a baseless sham that history would not look kindly upon.
So there you have it, folks! A thrilling saga of political brinkmanship, dramatic turns, and impassioned rhetoric. Stay tuned for the next episode of Capitol Hill Showdown!
