Iowa's four Republican congressional delegates voted in lockstep Tuesday to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, but the impeachment effort died on a 214-216 vote.
The Housevoted largely along party lines, even as House Republicans are rejecting a bipartisan deal to address the crisis on the southern border with Mexico. But four Republicans voted against impeachment, enough to sink the measure.
The House voted on two articles of impeachment accusing Mayorkas of a “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and a “breach of public trust.”
Democrats, a handful of House Republicans and legal experts across the political spectrum have dismissed Republicans’ impeachment push. Theysay the GOP’s grievances with Mayorkas amount to policy disagreements and fall far short of the "high crimes and misdemeanors" standard called for in impeachment.
Here's what Iowa's congressional delegation voted on the Mayorkas impeachment and what they had to say about it:
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican who represents southeast Iowa, voted to impeach.
She did not immediately issue a statement on her vote.
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican who represents northeast Iowa, posted on social media that "this is a solemn day, but we must impeach."
She blamed Mayorkas for rash of fentanyl deaths in America, although most of those drugs come through controlled border crossings.
"Secretary Mayorkas is complicit in the deaths of Americans poisoned by fentanyl," Hinson wrote. "He bears responsibility for suspected terrorists on our soil. He is to blame for the violence against Americans at the hands of illegal immigrants."
After the vote, Hinson released a statement accusing Mayorkas of lying to congressional members two years ago.
"At this point, if his mouth is moving, he is lying," Hinson said. "I applaud Chairman (Tennessee Republican Congressman) Mark Green and the House Homeland Security Committee for conducting a thorough investigation into the causes, costs and consequences of the border crisis that showed Secretary Mayorkas has willfully refused to comply with immigration law and has severely breached public trust. I fully support impeaching Secretary Mayorkas so that we can start to secure the border."
U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican who represents metro Des Moines and central and southern Iowa, voted to impeach.
He did not immediately issue a statement on his vote.
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, a Republican representing conservative northwest Iowa, promised in advance to vote for impeachment, posting on social media: "Today, I will vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for intentionally failing to secure the border."
The Housevoted largely along party lines, even as House Republicans are rejecting a bipartisan deal to address the crisis on the southern border with Mexico. But four Republicans voted against impeachment, enough to sink the measure.
The House voted on two articles of impeachment accusing Mayorkas of a “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and a “breach of public trust.”
Democrats, a handful of House Republicans and legal experts across the political spectrum have dismissed Republicans’ impeachment push. Theysay the GOP’s grievances with Mayorkas amount to policy disagreements and fall far short of the "high crimes and misdemeanors" standard called for in impeachment.
Here's what Iowa's congressional delegation voted on the Mayorkas impeachment and what they had to say about it:
1st District U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks
U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican who represents southeast Iowa, voted to impeach.
She did not immediately issue a statement on her vote.
2nd District U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, a Republican who represents northeast Iowa, posted on social media that "this is a solemn day, but we must impeach."
She blamed Mayorkas for rash of fentanyl deaths in America, although most of those drugs come through controlled border crossings.
"Secretary Mayorkas is complicit in the deaths of Americans poisoned by fentanyl," Hinson wrote. "He bears responsibility for suspected terrorists on our soil. He is to blame for the violence against Americans at the hands of illegal immigrants."
After the vote, Hinson released a statement accusing Mayorkas of lying to congressional members two years ago.
"At this point, if his mouth is moving, he is lying," Hinson said. "I applaud Chairman (Tennessee Republican Congressman) Mark Green and the House Homeland Security Committee for conducting a thorough investigation into the causes, costs and consequences of the border crisis that showed Secretary Mayorkas has willfully refused to comply with immigration law and has severely breached public trust. I fully support impeaching Secretary Mayorkas so that we can start to secure the border."
3rd District U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn
U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican who represents metro Des Moines and central and southern Iowa, voted to impeach.
He did not immediately issue a statement on his vote.
4th District U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra
U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, a Republican representing conservative northwest Iowa, promised in advance to vote for impeachment, posting on social media: "Today, I will vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for intentionally failing to secure the border."
How Iowa's 4 Republican Congress members voted on impeaching DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas
Alejandro Mayorkas faced two articles of impeachment for a “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and “breach of public trust.”
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