Republican Florida Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Mike Lee to lead their colleagues in sending a letter to Leader Mitch McConnell, noting the Senate’s constitutional responsibility to conduct a thorough trial following the House’s impeachment articles against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Additionally, Senator Scott sent a letter to Vice President Kamala Harris urging her to fulfill her constitutional duty to serve as the presiding officer of Secretary Mayorkas’ trial following the House of Representatives impeaching him.
As the President of the Senate, Vice President Harris is the appropriate constitutional presiding officer to oversee the impeachment trial of Secretary Mayorkas. The Florida Republican Senator said her appointment as President Biden’s “border czar” only makes her role in the Mayorkas impeachment trial more critical.
“Our states and cities face an ongoing and widespread crisis due to the flood of illegal immigrants streaming across our southern and northern borders and moving freely within the interior of the homeland,” Florida Senator Rick Scott wrote. “As the President of the Senate, you are the appropriate constitutional presiding officer to oversee the impeachment trial of Secretary Mayorkas, and I encourage you to fulfill that role when the Senate reconvenes later this month.”
Joining Senators Scott and Lee were Senators Ted Cruz, Eric Schmitt, Ron Johnson, J.D. Vance, Roger Marshall, Josh Hawley, Mike Braun, Tommy Tuberville, Ted Budd, Cynthia Lummis, and Marsha Blackburn – all Republicans.
“The Senate failed miserably to ensure our southern border was secured before sending Ukraine billions in American tax dollars,” said Senator Mike Lee. “We cannot fail to uphold our constitutional duty and conduct an impeachment trial for Secretary Mayorkas, who has ignored his duty to protect our country. Chuck Schumer is trying to sweep this travesty under the rug by violating the constitution and foregoing a trial. Republican leadership cannot stand idly by and let him.”
Read the full letter from Sen. Rick Scott to Vice President Harris here:
RickScott_letterVPMayorkasimpeachment