ICYMI: Kellyanne Conway’s proud of ideas people hate, Democrats flip Santos seat

Republican Rep. Mark Green, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, unexpectedly announced Wednesday that he would retire after just three terms representing Tennessee's 7th District.

Green, a hardliner who rose to national infamy in 2017 after Donald Trump tried to name him secretary of the Army, was eligible under GOP rules to serve two more terms as the top Republican on this powerful panel, which makes his departure all the more surprising. But he explained his decision by emphasizing his dissatisfaction with Congress.

"There's also just the frustration of trying to get something done here," he told Axios. "This place is so broken, and making a difference here is just you know, just it feels like a lot of something for nothing." Green is a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, which has played a central role in fomenting dysfunction on Capitol Hill.

Whoever replaces Green, though, likely won't be much different. His constituency, which includes western Nashville as well as nearby suburbs and further-flung rural areas, backed Donald Trump 56-41, so the winner of the Aug. 1 Republican primary will be the favorite to succeed him. The candidate filing deadline is April 4.

Green, who served as an Army medic in the 2003 mission that led to Saddam Hussein's capture, was elected to the state Senate in 2012 by unseating Democratic incumbent Tim Barnes 53-47 as Mitt Romney was taking his seat 55-44.

Once in office, Green spent his time attacking Muslims and LGBTQ+ people. He declared in 2016, "If you poll the psychiatrists, they're going to tell you transgender is a disease."

And in a speech to tea partiers the following year that soon became infamous, the senator said that he would "not tolerate" teaching the "pillars of Islam" in textbooks. He also specifically told an attendee who raised fears of armed violence from people who "don't belong here, like Muslims in the United States" that he'd asked a "great question."

Green launched a bid for governor in 2017, but he dropped out a few months later, after Trump nominated him to become the Army's top civilian official. However, Green's history of ugly rhetoric was too much for even the Republican-led Senate, and he had to withdraw his nomination.

The episode was anything but a career-ender, though. Green soon entered the race to replace Rep. Marsha Blackburn after she kicked off what would prove to be a successful Senate campaign, and no one ended up opposing him in the primary for her safely red House seat.

After easily winning the general election, the incoming congressman once made the sort of news he'd become known for by advancing a conspiracy theory claiming that the Centers for Disease Control was hiding data on a link between vaccines and autism.

Even before he was sworn in, the new congressman-elect began considering a bid to succeed retiring Sen. Lamar Alexander around that same time, but he ultimately decided to stay put. Green, who exchanged messages with then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about overturning the 2020 election in the months after Joe Biden won, never had trouble winning reelection.

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House Homeland chairman announces retirement a day after leading Mayorkas’ impeachment

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Kimberlee Kruesi

Tennessee Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green on Wednesday announced that he won't run for a fourth term, pointing to the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas just the day before as among the reasons it is "time for me to return home."

House Homeland chairman announces retirement a day after leading Mayorkas’ impeachment

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

CNN.com – RSS Channel – Politics 1970-01-01 00:00:00

Posted on February 14, 2024 by CNN.com - RSS Channel - Politics

Michael Genovese, President of the Global Policy Institute at Loyola Marymount University, joins Rosemary Church to discuss the significance of the New York special election and the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

House Homeland Security Chair Green set to retire

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Congress

House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green is expected to announce plans to retire as early as Thursday, marking a surprise exit for a prominent committee chief.

Green is expected to announce he will not seek reelection just days after he spearheaded the GOP push to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, according to two Republicans familiar with his plans. His exit is already coming as a shock to his colleagues given the win he'd notched with the Mayorkas vote.

Green demurred during a brief Wednesday interview when asked if he planned to retire.

“Today, I am running for election,” Green told POLITICO, while declining to discuss the matter further. He later confirmed his resignation to Axios.

Green, a former Green Beret, showed an eagerness to rise in the ranks after being elected in 2018. He made a bid for the top spot of the House Oversight Committee before later securing the gavel leading the Homeland Security panel. While at the helm this Congress, he made it a clear mission to hammer the Biden administration on the U.S.-Mexico border as the rate of illegal border crossings soared.

He ultimately proved successful in steering the Mayorkas impeachment this week, but only after the party faced an embarrassing vote miscalculation the week before where they failed to properly count the votes.

Fox News Politics: Borderline impeachment

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail.

What's Happening?

- House Republican warns of serious national security threat related to space

- Mayorkas becomes first cabinet secretary to be impeached since the 19th century

- Democrat Tom Suozzi triumphs in special election to replace Santos

On the eve of Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was impeached in a historic vote over his mishandling of the illegal immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Three Republican lawmakers, Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., Ken Buck, R-Colo., and Tom McClintock, R-Calif., jumped the aisle to vote against the impeachment.

The 214-213 vote came after the first impeachment failed earlier this month. Every House Democrat showed up to protect the cabinet secretary, including Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who temporarily left the hospital where he was recovering from surgery to cast his vote. Once Rep. Steve Scalise returned to D.C. from a cancer treatment, the GOP had the numbers to advance the articles of impeachment.

House Republicans have accused Mayorkas of violating his oath to defend the U.S. by failing to secure the border and "refusing" to enforce immigration laws.

The three Republicans who voted against impeachment on Tuesday have criticized Mayorkas' handling of the border but expressed reservations over whether it rose to the level of impeachment. McClintock warned it could set a precedent for political impeachments that could harm Republican officials in the future.

This is the first time a Cabinet secretary has been impeached by the U.S. Congress since 1876.

It's now up to the Senate — where Democrats run the show — to hold an impeachment trial.

'SERIOUS' THREAT: House Intel Chair Turner issues vague warning on 'serious national security threat,' urges Biden to declassify …Read more

'WILLING TO TRADE': Republican senators rally support to add 'meaningful' border security to House's foreign aid package …Read more

'DEVASTATING REPUDIATION': White House claims Suozzi's victory in NY special election speaks volumes about GOP, Trump …Read more

WHITE HOUSE DODGE: Sullivan avoids details when pressed on 'serious national security threat' …Read more

'HEY EVERYBODY!': WH compares Ronny Jackson to 'Simpsons' character in email to Fox Digital …Read more

BACK AGAIN: Who is Tom Suozzi? A look at the Democrat who flipped Santos' seat blue …Read more

BLAME GAME: Haley faults Trump for New York special election loss …Read more

'EVERY SINGLE PENNY': Lara Trump says RNC funds will go to electing father-in-law Donald Trump …Read more

'INCOMPETENT': New poll reveals the top 2 issues negatively affecting voter confidence in Biden …Read more

PENCE HITS BACK: Former VP Mike Pence's policy think tank pushed back on Vance claim that foreign aid has a hidden 'impeachment time bomb' …Read more

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Several Republican lawmakers want Schumer to reconvene Senate ‘immediately’ for Mayorkas impeachment trial

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Latest Political News on Fox News

Some Senate Republicans want the upper chamber to reconvene "immediately" to proceed with an impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the ongoing migrant crisis at the southern border. The House voted to impeach Mayorkas Tuesday night in a tight 214-213 vote.

Mayorkas is the first Cabinet secretary to be impeached by the U.S. Congress since 1876.

"Schumer should reconvene the Senate immediately and proceed to trial," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., wrote in a post on X Tuesday night.

Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer's office for comment and did not hear back by time of publication. But in a statement Tuesday night after the vote, Schumer said the impeachment trial will begin later this month. The Senate is scheduled to return from recess on Feb. 26.

"The House impeachment managers will present the articles of impeachment to the Senate following the state work period," Schumer said in a statement. "Senators will be sworn in as jurors in the trial the next day."

HOUSE VOTES TO IMPEACH DHS SECRETARY MAYORKAS OVER BORDER CRISIS

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said in a post that the Senate "cannot fail" to "uphold" its 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," he wrote.

Echoing the urgency, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. urged the upper chamber to take quick action: "The Senate must take this up immediately."

"While some in the Senate sided with securing Ukraine's border before our own, I'm glad to see House Republicans do the right thing and hold this lawless administration accountable," he wrote Tuesday night.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., compared how Democrats treated Trump's impeachment trials versus "the cabinet member responsible for 9 million illegal migrant entries on the southern border."

"They show zero interest in demanding real accountability," Schmitt said. "This impeachment coming to the Senate will undoubtedly show how unserious Democrats have become when it comes to responsibly leading the country and protecting Americans. Mayorkas’ impeachment proceedings should be brought to the Senate floor ASAP, but don’t hold your breath for any meaningful change at the border while Democrats are in charge."

Schmitt's sentiments are shared by several Senate Republicans who opposed the failed border bill that was in the national security supplemental package, citing concerns about increased power for President Biden and Mayorkas. They argued that shifting asylum claim responsibilities to the secretary of Homeland Security undermines immigration court processes.

HERE ARE THE 3 HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO TORPEDOED MAYORKAS’ IMPEACHMENT VOTE

The Senate ultimately voted to remove the border bill text and passed a standalone $95 billion foreign aid bill.

"I don't think it ever made sense to many Americans that we're negotiating a border deal with the person we're trying to impeach," Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., told Fox News Digital in an interview ahead of the vote on Tuesday.

"I welcome the impeachment," Marshall said. "He didn't enforce the law of the land, he broke his oath to Americans as well. So I think, for all those reasons, he should be impeached."

Tuesday evening’s vote marked House Republicans’ second attempt at impeaching Mayorkas. GOP lawmakers targeted the Biden official over the ongoing migrant crisis at the U.S. southern border, accusing him of deliberately flaunting existing immigration law and worsening the situation.

OVER 40 LAWMAKERS SIGN BRIEF TO SUPPORT TEXAS IN IMMIGRATION FIGHT WITH BIDEN ADMINISTRATION

Fox News Digital has reached out to DHS for comment. In a statement following the House's vote, DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said: "House Republicans will be remembered by history for trampling on the Constitution for political gain rather than working to solve the serious challenges at our border. While Secretary Mayorkas was helping a group of Republican and Democratic Senators develop bipartisan solutions to strengthen border security and get needed resources for enforcement, House Republicans have wasted months with this baseless, unconstitutional impeachment.

"Without a shred of evidence or legitimate Constitutional grounds, and despite bipartisan opposition, House Republicans have falsely smeared a dedicated public servant who has spent more than 20 years enforcing our laws and serving our country. Secretary Mayorkas and the Department of Homeland Security will continue working every day to keep Americans safe," Ehrenberg added.

Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Speaker Mike Johnson finds time for impeachment stunt, but not to help Ukraine

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Joan McCarter

House Speaker Mike Johnson has plenty of excuses for not taking up the Ukraine aid package the Senate passed early this week, saying that he’s just got too many serious issues on his plate to help in the fight for democracy against Russian totalitarianism. He told reporters Wednesday morning that “we have to address this seriously, to actually solve the problems and not just take political posturing as has happened in some of these other corners.”

Reporter: You yourself were part of killing the senate compromise bill. You say there need to be solutions, what are house Republicans doing to get to a solution on the border and on Ukraine? Or are you going to actually do nothing? pic.twitter.com/3CjaN9BCx0
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 14, 2024

Yes, he seriously accused Ukraine aid proponents of “political posturing” just hours after he led House Republicans in their second—barely successful—sham impeachment vote of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. By the way, that reporter’s question was spot on. Johnson effectively killed the original Senate bill that included a border security package by saying it would be dead on arrival in the House. Now he complains that the aid bill “has not one word about the border.”

Johnson also insists that he’s too busy figuring out how to avoid a government shutdown on March 1 and that it will take time for his team to “process” the Senate’s package. Guess what’s not on the House schedule this week? That’s right: Any appropriations bills to fund the government ahead of the looming deadline. Again, he was able to carve out more time to impeach Mayorkas and to force the Senate to deal with that just days before the government funding deadline.

The Senate is out until Feb. 26 and is going to have to deal with the Mayorkas impeachment as soon as they return. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer outlined the process in a statement, indicating that the House impeachment managers will “present the articles of impeachment to the Senate” as soon as they’re back in, and “[s]enators will be sworn in as jurors in the trial the next day.”

Which means two days of valuable Senate time will be wasted on this because the Senate will never vote to convict Mayorkas, but they have to deal with it anyway. They’ll dispense with it as quickly as the Senate can do anything, but they need every hour for the long process of passing the bills to keep the government from shutting down.

That process between the House and Senate is going nowhere fast because of all the poison-pill riders about abortion, contraception, and trans issues the House Republicans crammed into their spending bills.

On top of all that, Johnson—who just spent an embarrassing week and a half of floor time impeaching one of Biden’s cabinet members—is now demanding that Biden take him seriously and have a face-to-face meeting with him on the Ukraine bill. A White House spokesperson told NBC that Johnson “needed to wrap the negotiations he has having with himself and stop delaying national security needs in the name of politics.” Biden is not included to help Johnson out of this one.

“That body language says: ‘I know I’m in a tough spot. Please bail me out,’” one Democrat involved with the supplemental aid package told NBC.

House GOP votes to impeach Mayorkas, after failing first attempt

House GOP to launch critical investigation into just how old Biden is

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Senate Democrats eye speedy conclusion of Mayorkas impeachment articles

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Ramsey Touchberry

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas likely won't face the weekslong impeachment trial that former President Donald Trump did just a few years ago.