(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Three Republicans are under scrutiny for aligning with Democrats to block the impeachment vote against DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
In a 216-214 vote, four Republicans—Reps. Ken Buck, Colo.; Mike Gallagher, Wis.; Tom McClintock, Calif.; and Rep. Blake Moore, Utah—joined 212 Democrats to vote no on the impeachment.
Moore switched his vote to ‘no’ to allow Republicans a second vote on the motion. In contrast, Buck, Gallagher and McClintock cited a lack of evidence in the impeachment proceedings, sparking a wave of criticism on Twitter.
“TIME TO NAME AND SHAME!” tweeted Libs of TikTok. “The 3 RINOS who voted with Democrats against impeaching Mayorkas,” the account added, providing their office phone numbers.
TIME TO NAME AND SHAME!
The 3 RINOS who voted with Democrats against impeaching Mayorkas:
Rep. Tom McClintock – (202) 225-2511
Rep. Ken Buck – (202) 225-4676
Rep. Mike Gallagher – (202) 225-5665The vote will be reconsidered next week. They must vote YES!
Mayorkas has… pic.twitter.com/3QurelrwOk
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 7, 2024
“Shameful!” posted conservative commentator Leo Terrell, labeling the Republicans as “RINOS.” Similarly, Twitter personality Gunther Eagleman chimed in: “RINOs mess up everything.”
As fentanyl flows from China and TikTok guides migrants, including Chinese spies exploiting Mayorkas’ ignoring the law, @RepGallagher‘s opposition to his own party’s Speaker’s impeachment request shows his China rhetoric is mere performance for his political career.
This is the… https://t.co/GSo8q2GkjR
— Brian Costello (@bpcostello) February 7, 2024
Mayorkas faced an impeachment vote over unprecedented illegal immigration stemming from his alleged refusal to enforce immigration laws. However, Buck stated he did not see evidence of high crimes and misdemeanors, both required for an impeachment. Similarly, Gallagher, in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, argued that the impeachment vote wouldn’t solve the border crisis.
In response, conservative TV host Lou Dobbs called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to remove Gallagher from his position as the chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. “Gallagher aligned himself in one vote with the Mexican drug cartels, the Biden Regime, and the deaths of more than a 100,000 Americans,” Dobbs said.
Speaker Johnson should strip Gallagher of his Chair of Committee on the Chinese Communist Party for his facile vote against the Mayorkas impeachment–Gallagher aligned himself in one vote with the Mexican drug cartels, the Biden Regime, and the deaths of more than a 100,000…
— Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) February 7, 2024
A spokesperson for Johnson stated on Twitter that House Republicans “fully intend” to bring the impeachment vote for a second time once the votes for passage are confirmed.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., couldn’t vote for impeachment as he was receiving cancer treatment. However, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., a strong proponent of impeachment, affirmed that the vote would be reintroduced.
The 3 no votes against impeaching Mayorkas were:
Mike Gallagher (WI-08)
Tom McClintock (CA-05)
Ken Buck (CO-04)Blake Moore changed his vote no when asked by leadership for procedural reasons to make a motion to reconsider so that we can vote on impeachment again next week.…
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) February 7, 2024
House Republicans were only able to afford loosing three votes as their majority has slimmed since 2022.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., drew attention to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who left the House after being removed as speaker. “Wouldn’t it have been nice to still have Kevin McCarthy in the House of Representatives?” Gaetz asked during a Newsmax interview. “Never thought you’d hear me say that.”
At the time of his resignation, McCarthy was criticized as selfish for quitting and thus reducing the Republican majority.
