Fogbow

The Senate quickly dispensed with the two impeachment charges against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, convening a short-lived trial Wednesday that brought an end to a months-long effort to punish the secretary for his handling of the southern border.

The Senate's 51-member Democratic majority voted to dismiss both charges as unconstitutional over the objections of Republican members. The entire proceeding lasted just three hours

GOP rejected Schumer’s agreement that would have allowed floor debate

Before Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set up a vote to kill the first impeachment article against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, he offered a time agreement to Republicans that would have allowed a certain amount of floor debate and votes on trial resolutions and points of order before an eventual vote to dismiss the case.

Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt objected, saying he would not agree to a proposal that would conclude with an "unprecedented" step in US history: dismissing an impeachment case without a trial.

Many Republicans wanted an agreement because it would have allowed them to make speeches on the floor about why they think a full trial should take place, among other points. Without it, they will not be allowed to speak on the floor — unless they get unanimous consent — except in the form of points of order that would be read allowed by the presiding officer.

bob wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 5:13 pm I get that the Republicans didn't appreciate getting the business end of Schumer's pointy stick, but they should have seen it was the best offer they were going to get.

bob wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 5:13 pm I get that the Republicans didn't appreciate getting the business end of Schumer's pointy stick, but they should have seen it was the best offer they were going to get.

BoldProgressives.org @BoldProgressive wrote: House Republicans just voted FOR HIGHER CREDIT CARD FEES & against a Biden Admin @CFPB rule capping fees at $8.

Chairman Andy Barr said "the vast majority of Americans" want high fees. "They don't think they're junk." WRONG! Tell the public: Republicans voted for abusive fees.

noblepa wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 8:07 pm Now, they get to go on Fox News and the website formerly known as Twitter and whine that the evil libs stood in the way of justice and the courageous Republicans Trumpistas who wanted only to return to constitutional goverment.

northland10 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:35 pm We know that if the things were opposite, a GOP senate would dismiss a similar impeachment against a Trump official. They would state that the Constitution does not say the Senate must conduct a trial only that the Senate has the sole power to try all impeachments.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Donald Payne Jr., D-N.J. remains hospitalized following a "cardiac episode" early this month stemming from complications tied to his diabetes, his office said in a statement Wednesday.

The update comes more than a week after Payne's office referred to "his improvement," a "good" prognosis and the expectation of a "full recovery."

“Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. suffered a cardiac episode based on complications from his diabetes last week,” his office said in a statement Wednesday. “Today, he is in stable condition at a local hospital and continues to be under doctor’s care. While we hope for a full recovery, we ask everyone to keep him in your prayers.”

The new statement also follows a New Jersey Globe report that said Payne remains unconscious. Asked about the report, a spokesperson for Payne directed NBC News to the office's recent statement

Ron Filipkowski
@RonFilipkowski

Anna Paulina Luna says she has been told that as soon as a Motion to Vacate is brought to the floor, at least two moderate Republicans will resign immediately rather than wait until end of their term to flip the House to the Democrats.

Biden-Harris HQ @BidenHQ wrote: GOP Rep. Nehls: After we pass this, what do we really have to do for the rest of the year? I think we could all go home until September 30th

Dr. Ken wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2024 3:06 pm Johnson poised to take Mccarthys place as one of the shortest speakerships

The House voted resoundingly on Saturday to approve $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as Speaker Mike Johnson put his job on the line to advance the long-stalled aid package by marshaling support from mainstream Republicans and Democrats.

In four back-to-back votes, overwhelming bipartisan coalitions of lawmakers approved fresh rounds of funding for the three U.S. allies, as well as another bill meant to sweeten the deal for conservatives that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok.

The scene on the House floor reflected both the broad support in Congress for continuing to help the Ukrainian military beat back Russia, and the extraordinary political risk taken by Mr. Johnson to defy the anti-interventionist wing of his party who had sought to thwart the measure. Minutes before the vote on assistance for Kyiv, Democrats began to wave small Ukrainian flags on the House floor, as hard-right Republicans jeered.

The legislation includes $60 billion for Kyiv; $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza; and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific region. It would direct the president to seek repayment from the Ukrainian government of $10 billion in economic assistance, a concept supported by former President Donald J. Trump, who had pushed for any aid to Kyiv to be in the form of a loan. But it also would allow the president to forgive those loans starting in 2026.

It also contained a measure to help pave the way to selling off frozen Russian sovereign assets to help fund the Ukrainian war effort, and a new round of sanctions on Iran. The Senate is expected to pass the legislation as early as Tuesday and send it to President Biden’s desk, capping its tortured journey through Congress.

“Our adversaries are working together to undermine our Western values and demean our democracy,” Representative Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas and the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said Saturday as the House debated the measure. “We cannot be afraid at this moment. We have to do what’s right. Evil is on the march. History is calling and now is the time to act.”

“History will judge us by our actions here today,” he continued. “As we deliberate on this vote, you have to ask yourself this question: ‘Am I Chamberlain or Churchill?’”

AndyinPA wrote: ↑Sat Apr 20, 2024 2:14 pm Any takers on how long before they call for a vote on Johnson?

zekeb wrote: ↑Sat Apr 20, 2024 4:58 pm After this Johnson brings the Trump-opposed immigration bill to the floor and it passes.