Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas sent a letter early Tuesday to the chairman of the U.S. House committee set to move forward with articles of impeachment against him.
U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security chairman Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) says the letter is too little, too late.
On Tuesday, the committee is meeting to draw up articles of impeachment filed by Green and will then make their vote. The articles are expected to be sent to the full House for a vote to impeach.
The Mayorkas name will be forever stained by the unspeakable grief this man has brought upon American families.
Having rejected all guidance to correct the injury he has wrought, and having refused any modicum of maintained honor by resignation of his post, Alejandro Mayorkas… pic.twitter.com/mbYYhYcVph
— Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) January 29, 2024
“I will defer a discussion of the Constitutionality of your current effort to the many respected scholars and experts across the political spectrum who have opined it is contrary to law. What I will not defer to others is a response to the politically motivated accusations and personal attacks you have made against me,” Mayorkas wrote in his letter.
“I assure you that your false accusations do not rattle me and do not divert me from the law enforcement and broader public service mission to which I have devoted most of my career and remain devoted,” Mayorkas continued.
Mayorkas failed to respond to subpoena requests, obstructed a DHS Inspector General investigation and audit, and repeatedly made false statements to Congress, according to the articles.
A group of Republican attorney generals and state lawmakers have also called for Congress to impeach him. Democrats have said impeachment is a political ploy while also acknowledging a border crisis has occurred under Mayorkas’ watch.
“Secretary Mayorkas’ 11th-hour response to the Committee is inadequate and unbecoming of a Cabinet secretary. Our investigation has established that Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and systemically refused to comply with the laws of the United States and breached the public trust. The Committee would have preferred he accept our multiple invitations extended to him since last August to appear before us in person,” Green said in response.
“A letter at 4:48 a.m. on the morning of our markup, repeating the same false claims and doubling down on his commitment to his continued lawless conduct, indicates the contempt with which he views Congress, the American people, and the Constitution he swore an oath to defend,” he added.
Rep. Green also said that the committee asked Mayorkas to testify multiple times, which he refused. The committee has said Mayorkas is playing political games to get out of giving his testimony.
