Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Republican Rep. Tony Gonzalez (Texas) wouldn’t commit to voting to impeach Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, instead saying he’d “see where the hearing takes us.”
Gonzalez added that if the hearing led to an impeachment vote, “then the hearing takes us down that line,” but explained he wouldn’t be able to commit to how he’d vote until he’d “see all the facts.”
Mayorkas has become the target of Republican lawmakers for his handling of the immigration crisis at the Southern border.
Last week, keeping in line with a common promise GOP lawmakers made on the midterm campaign trail, Republican Rep. Pat Fallon filed articles of impeachment against Mayorkas.
But given the timing of Fallon’s filing — occurring much sooner than many GOP lawmakers were expecting — there’s uncertainty among some lawmakers on how to proceed.
Some believe the GOP shouldn’t rush into the proceedings and should allot enough time to gather information and evidence.
Following Fallon’s filing, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), expressed his belief that the lower chamber should have fact-finding and evidence-gathering hearings before deciding to move ahead with impeachment.
However, McCaul added, “Do I think he’s been derelict in his responsibilities? Yes,” while emphasizing that the impeachment should be conducted in a “methodical way.”
To succeed in impeaching Mayorkas a majority would have to vote in the affirmative in the House of Representatives.
To convict the Department of Homeland Security Secretary two-thirds would have to vote in the affirmative in the Senate.
