House Republicans delay sending Mayorkas impeachment articles to Senate

Washington — House Republicans postponed sending nan articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to nan Senate until adjacent week, amid concerns complete nan timing of an impeachment proceedings that Senate Democrats are expected to quickly move to dismiss.

"To guarantee nan Senate has capable clip to execute its law duty, nan House will transmit nan articles of impeachment to nan Senate adjacent week," a spokesperson for Speaker Mike Johnson said successful a statement.

Johnson and nan 11 impeachment managers penned a missive to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer past period saying they would coming nan articles of impeachment to nan precocious enclosure connected Wednesday, April 10, urging nan Senate leader to schedule a proceedings "expeditiously." Senators were expected to beryllium sworn successful nan adjacent day, nether Senate rules. But concerns astir GOP attendance for what would apt beryllium a precocious ballot connected Thursday seemed to springiness Republicans pause. 

Schumer said Tuesday day that "we're going to effort and resoluteness this rumor arsenic quickly arsenic possible." And With Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents controlling 51 seats successful nan Senate, they're expected to ballot to disregard aliases hold nan proceedings pinch a elemental majority, if they tin stay united. Any Republican absences would make it easier for Democrats to do so. 

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, told reporters that nan impeachment articles were now group to beryllium transmitted from nan House adjacent Monday. 

"We don't want this to travel complete connected nan eve of nan infinitesimal erstwhile members mightiness beryllium operating nether nan power of jet-fume intoxication," Lee added astatine a news conference, saying it's amended for nan Senate to return up nan rumor astatine nan opening of nan week. 

GOP Senate Whip John Thune told reporters Tuesday day that if Republicans want to person nan opportunity to person a "more fulsome discussion" erstwhile nan articles travel complete from nan House, "there are times erstwhile that could astir apt hap amended than having it travel complete tomorrow nighttime and past trying to woody pinch it Thursday afternoon."

Nikole Killion, Alejandro Alvarez contributed reporting. 

In:
• Mike Johnson
• Impeachment
• Alejandro Mayorkas