3 weeks ago
Longtime Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey voted to termination nan impeachment proceedings of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas past week, but has a agelong way grounds of supporting impeachment proceedings erstwhile erstwhile President Trump was successful nan basking spot pinch Democrats.
The Senate voted against 2 articles of impeachment Mayorkas faced past week, including 1 that charged Mayorkas pinch "willful and systemic refusal to comply" regarding migration law, and a 2nd article that charged him pinch a "breach of trust" aft saying nan separator was secure. The Senate voted 51-48 and 51-49 against nan articles.
The votes were mostly on statement lines, pinch Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska serving arsenic nan only Republican who voted "present" erstwhile asked astir dismissing nan first article, and voted against dismissing nan 2nd article.
Republicans were pushing for a proceedings of Mayorkas for "willfully" refusing to enforce migration laws, while millions of forbidden immigrants person poured crossed nan separator into nan U.S. since he was sworn successful arsenic nan Biden administration’s caput of Homeland Security successful 2021.
GOP PREPS ATTACKS ON VULNERABLE DEM SENATORS OVER MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL DISMISSAL
Sen. Bob Casey Jr. leaves nan Capitol aft a ballot connected April 18, 2023. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Casey was among nan Democrats who voted to termination nan impeachment proceedings of Mayorkas, but had mostly been tight-lipped up of nan vote. Fox News Digital reported past week up of nan Senate ballot that Casey had not yet revealed his plans, while Politico reported connected April 10 that Casey "did not straight reply a mobility connected whether aliases not he’d support a mobility to disregard nan trial."
He did show nan outlet astatine nan clip that "the Senate should beryllium spending clip passing nan bipartisan separator deal" and that he has "no uncertainty astatine all" that Republicans would usage nan impeachment proceedings against him and different vulnerable Senate Democrats up of nan election.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks connected Capitol Hill, connected April 10. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
Senate Democrats quashing impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas was historically significant, arsenic he is still serving successful his domiciled successful nationalist office. It marks a first for an impeachment proceedings to beryllium dismissed, tabled aliases efficaciously tossed without nan accused charismatic first exiting their role, Fox Digital antecedently reported.
"The Senate has nary law authority to norm that nan articles approved by nan House do not authorities impeachable offenses," Andrew McCarthy, a erstwhile main adjunct United States lawyer successful nan Southern District of New York and a elder chap astatine nan National Review Institute, said past week.
McCarthy added that the House has nan sole power to find impeachable offenses, and nan Senate deeming nan articles of impeachment unconstitutional and sidesplitting nan imaginable trial, "essentially nullifies nan House’s important domiciled successful nan impeachment process."
REPUBLICANS PREDICT DEMS TO PAY 'HEAVY PRICE' IN ELECTION AFTER MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT BID FAILS
The Senate voting against carrying done pinch nan proceedings of Mayorkas comes aft Casey many times publically supported impeachment proceedings against Trump erstwhile he was president.
"There tin beryllium nary justness without accountability for those progressive successful nan insurrection against nan national government. As a Nation, we cannot beforehand our shared antiauthoritarian values without consequences for those who person betrayed those values. Those who stormed nan Capitol should look charges. President Trump should beryllium impeached and removed from agency because he betrayed his oath to nan Constitution and incited a mob to violence," Casey said successful 2021, pursuing protesters breaching nan U.S. Capitol connected Jan. 6 of that year.
‘CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY’ OF SENATE DEMS QUASHING MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL QUESTIONED BY EXPERTS
In 2020, erstwhile Democrats accused Trump of soliciting overseas interference successful nan 2020 election, Casey said, "Americans merit a adjacent trial" erstwhile touting articles of impeachment against nan 45th president.
"Soon nan Senate will return a captious ballot connected whether we should perceive from applicable witnesses for illustration John Bolton. Americans merit a adjacent trial. Anything little is simply a cover-up," he said on X astatine nan time.
That aforesaid month, he besides called for "answers, nether oath, successful afloat position of nan American people," arsenic portion of Trump’s first impeachment.
He added successful 2019 of nan Trump impeachment that failing to prosecute proceedings against Trump would beryllium "an reproach to our Constitution and to our values."
PENNSYLVANIA POLICE SLAM LONGTIME DEM SEN. CASEY 'ALIGNING' HIMSELF WITH DEFUND THE POLICE GROUP: 'DANGEROUS'
Former President Trump exits Trump Tower successful New York City, Monday, April 15, 2024. (Probe-Media for Fox News Digital)
"Our Constitution indicates that impeachment is for ‘treason, bribery, aliases different precocious Crimes and Misdemeanors.’ A nonaccomplishment by Congress to prosecute impeachment successful nan look of sedate offenses by nan President is an reproach to our Constitution and to our values."
Trump was yet impeached twice, an humanities first for a president, and acquitted connected each counts by nan Senate.
Casey has served successful nan Senate since 2007, and is anticipated to person 1 of nan astir intimately watched elections this twelvemonth arsenic he gears up for a run against anticipated Republican challenger Dave McCormick. Pennsylvania holds its primaries Tuesday, which will solidify nan expected race betwixt Casey and McCormick.
REPUBLICAN DAVE MCCORMICK LAUNCHES BID FOR VULNERABLE SENATE SEAT IN BATTLEGROUND STATE
Republican Senate campaigner Dave McCormick is joined by authorities Auditor General Timothy DeFoor and authorities Treasurer Stacy Garrity connected Sept. 30, 2023, successful Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Dave McCormick campaign )
The Pennsylvania Democrat and chap susceptible Senate members person now travel nether greater attraction from nan Republican Party pursuing nan Mayorkas vote, including nan National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) antecedently telling Fox Digital that their votes against proceeding pinch nan proceedings will go a focal constituent of predetermination season.
"Joe Biden’s wide unfastened separator is going to beryllium a apical rumor for voters headed into November," NRSC spokesperson Maggie Abboud told Fox News Digital successful a connection past week.
BATTLEGROUND STATE DEM DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM DEFUND MOVEMENT, BUT POLITICAL RECORD SHOWS DIFFERENT STORY
Sen. Bob Casey speaks earlier President Biden astir his infrastructure schedule connected Feb. 3, 2023, successful Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
"You tin stake we are going to item Senate Democrats’ refusal to clasp Joe Biden’s DHS Secretary accountable connected nan run trail, successful advertising, and successful each different measurement possible," she continued.
Fox News Digital reached retired to nan Casey run for remark connected nan Mayorkas ballot and his erstwhile remarks connected Trump’s impeachment proceedings, but did not instantly person replies.
A group of migrants attempting to participate nan U.S. illegally unreserved nan separator connected March 21, 2024, knocking down a Texas National Guardsmen earlier they are halted astatine nan separator wall. (James Breeden for New York Post / Mega)
"Together, Casey, Biden and Mayorkas person enabled supplier cartels to flood Pennsylvania communities pinch deadly narcotics for illustration fentanyl," Elizabeth Gregory, a spokesperson for McCormick, said past week.
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Immigration has go a apical concern for voters up of November, alongside different concerns specified arsenic inflation, nan system and crime. Nearly 7.3 cardinal migrants entered nan U.S. betwixt President Biden taking agency and February 2024, a Fox News Digital study antecedently reported. The fig is much than nan organization of 36 individual states.
Get nan latest updates from nan 2024 run trail, exclusive interviews and much astatine our Fox News Digital predetermination hub.
Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson contributed to this report.
