WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke on the House Floor in opposition to the reckless, sham impeachment of Secretary Mayorkas being carried out by extreme MAGA Republicans on behalf of Donald Trump.
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"Let me first just thank the distinguished gentleman from the great state of Mississippi for yielding, for his leadership, for his dignity, for his decency, for his continued defense of our democracy in the face of the extreme attacks coming from the other side of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this political stunt, this reckless Republican effort to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. Let's be clear. Secretary Mayorkas is a good man, a patriotic man and a hardworking man doing the best he can under very difficult circumstances. That's not an impeachable offense. Extreme MAGA Republicans have produced no evidence that Secretary Mayorkas has engaged in a high crime or misdemeanor, no evidence that Secretary Mayorkas has engaged in an impeachable offense and no evidence that Secretary Mayorkas has broken the law or violated the Constitution. Not a shred of evidence, not a scintilla of evidence. Nothing but extreme MAGA Republican chaos and confusion, and the effort to avoid doing the hard work necessary to find common ground to actually address the challenges at the border.
What do these impeachment articles have to do with the issue of addressing our broken immigration system? Nothing. What do these impeachment articles have to do with building a healthy economy for everyday Americans? Nothing. What do these impeachment articles have to do with addressing the inflationary challenges and the affordability issues that the American people are experiencing day after day, as we work to continue to emerge from a once-in-a-century pandemic that shut down the economy? Absolutely nothing. Extreme MAGA Republicans have spent this entire Congress not advancing any ideas, acting on any agenda, deciding to work together with us to solve problems for the American people. And so, you've brought articles of impeachment that are not anchored in reality. You wrote articles of impeachment for one simple reason. Because you really want to impeach Joe Biden. That's what you were directed to do by the puppet master, the former President of the United States, Donald Trump. You really want to impeach Joe Biden, but you realize that that is politically unpopular. And so you brilliantly come up with, in your minds, plan B. Let's go after Secretary Mayorkas. No evidence that he's engaged in wrongdoing, committed a crime or violated the Constitution, but let's go after Secretary Mayorkas. Maybe that will satisfy the quest for revenge of the puppet master. Because when the puppet master Donald Trump says 'Jump,' extreme MAGA Republicans respond, 'How high?'
We just got evidence of that over the last few weeks, because extreme MAGA Republicans have been lecturing America that we have to deal with the challenges at the border. We agree. A bipartisan process has been underway in the Senate for months to try to fix our broken immigration system. But as soon as Donald Trump says, no, we actually don't want to do anything about the challenges at the border, because politically, that might not be good for us, you've walked away from working together in a commonsense fashion to fix our broken immigration system. And so instead, what you have to offer the American people is this sham impeachment, this political stunt, this waste of time. But you will not fool the American people. You will actually be held accountable for your inaction and your affirmative leaning into doing things that don't advance progress in any way, shape or form for the American people. No reasonable American can conclude that you're making life better for them with this sham impeachment. But you will live with this like a scarlet letter. It may succeed, it may not. Secretary Mayorkas should wear this like a badge of honor because it's worthless. It means nothing, it's fake, it's fraudulent and it's foolish. And I urge everybody to vote no so we can get back to doing the real business of the American people. I yield back."
