'Tired of this clown show': Mike Johnson slammed for delaying impeachment articles against DHS Secy Alejandro Mayorkas amid pressure

WASHINGTON, DC: In a strategic move sending ripples through Washington, Speaker Mike Johnson has announced the delay in transmitting the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate.

The decision, reportedly influenced by pressure from Republican colleagues, marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing saga surrounding Mayorkas' impeachment.

Strategic timing raises questions

Scheduled just one day before the Senate's expected receipt of the impeachment articles, this delay serves to extend the timeline before a potential trial for President Joe Biden's embattled border chief.

“To ensure the Senate has adequate time to perform its constitutional duty, the House will transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate next week,” stated a spokesperson for Johnson. “There is no reason whatsoever for the Senate to abdicate its responsibility to hold an impeachment trial,” they added.

The timing of this delay raises questions regarding Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's intentions regarding the trial. Concerns lingered among Republicans that Schumer might exploit the Wednesday delivery to adjourn for the weekend without initiating the trial at all, a move deemed unfavorable by many.

"Many House and Senate members think Johnson’s timing is dumb, because a Wednesday night delivery [and] Thursday afternoon floor fight aren’t enough time to win the news cycle and to hammer the fight in Washington," a Senate aide reportedly told the Daily Mail earlier Tuesday.

Some Republican voices echoed the sentiment that the delay was prudent, allowing the Senate sufficient time to deliberate on the matter.

Senator Mike Lee of Utah highlighted the necessity for proper litigation, signaling agreement with Johnson's decision.

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana criticized Schumer's initial plan, denouncing it as an attempt to rush through the impeachment process within a shortened timeframe, hindering meaningful discussion on the charges against Mayorkas.

"Now originally, Senator Schumer had planned to do this on a Thursday when everybody is trying to get back to their district. Isn't that special," he stated at a news conference Tuesday.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz further accused Schumer of seeking to undermine the impeachment clause of the Constitution. "Chuck Schumer intends to nuke the impeachment clause of the United States Constitution," he said, before adding, "And make no mistake if this precedent is set, it will not be the last time it is used."

"This is a crime against America. The American people deserve accountability," Senate GOP Conference Chair John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, remarked. 

The impeachment articles against Mayorkas, formally passed by the House in February, cite allegations of failing to enforce immigration laws and providing misleading information to Congress regarding the state of the US-Mexico border.

Responding to the impeachment efforts, the White House condemned the Republican-led initiative as "petty political" and warned of historical repercussions for such partisan actions.

House GOP Whip Tom Emmer voiced concern over the potential dismissal of the impeachment articles by Senate Democrats, saying, "They will be defying their Constitutional duty to their constituents and betraying Americans who have suffered under the worst border crisis in our history."

Emmer added, "Voters won’t forget this dereliction of duty, and we will remind them of the Schumer Senate’s negligence every day until Election Day."

Meanwhile, Mayorkas' tenure as DHS Secretary has coincided with consecutive record-breaking years for migrant apprehensions, with over 2.4 million apprehensions recorded in 2023 alone, according to Customs and Border Protection data.

Social media reactions

That said, the delay in transmitting the impeachment articles prompted a wave of reactions on social media platforms.

"Who else is tired of this BS?" one social media user posted on X.

"Our entire government has turned on We the People. I never thought I’d live to see this day in America. We have no leadership whatsoever to represent us," someone else lamented.

"SMOKE and MIRRORS for the people to consume," one social media person said.

"So tired of this clown show," another person fumed.

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