(C) Texas Tribune This story was originally published by Texas Tribune and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Blast: “Border Week” and “Impeachment Week” [1] [] Date: 2024-04 Last week, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson came to Texas to launch “Energy Week.” This week, he returned to the Lone Star State for what we may as well dub “Border Week.” With Congress in recess this week and next, Gov. Greg Abbott hosted Johnson at the Governor’s Mansion yesterday to discuss the southern border. As part of their discussions, Johnson shared with Abbott that the House will send its articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on April 10, news that began breaking yesterday afternoon. As the governor of the largest stretch of southern border and the highest ranking elected Republican in the federal government, Abbott and Johnson make natural allies against President Joe Biden and his border policies. “By opening the border to criminals, traffickers, and cartels, the Biden administration is actively endangering the American people, our families, ranchers, and law enforcement,” Johnson said in a statement. “When the federal government fails to perform its constitutional duty to protect our borders, states have no choice but to fill that role.” In his own statement, Abbott said that he told Johnson the border crisis was avoidable and is unacceptable. Abbott has continually called on the Senate to pass and Biden to sign House Resolution 2, the Republican-led House’s border security bill (passed before Johnson’s surprise rise to the speakership). And yesterday, he said he told the speaker to pass legislation that will stop illegal crossings between points of entry. Abbott also says he touted Operation Lone Star and “implored Speaker Johnson to support the state’s ongoing fight against President Biden’s attacks on Texas’ historic border mission and his refusal to secure the border.” Johnson seemed to throw Abbott a bone on that front. “Right now, we’re witnessing a gross abuse of power as Biden’s Department of Justice uses the judicial system to go after the state of Texas for attempting to safeguard its citizens,” Johnson said in his statement. “Texans, and all Americans, deserve better.” The Mayorkas “Impeachment Week” timeline news began breaking yesterday afternoon. Congress will return from recess on April 9 (enjoy your flights back to Washington with all the eclipse fans). The House will formally deliver the two articles of impeachment on April 10. The Senate will begin pretrial procedures, like swearing in the “jury,” on April 11. The Senate isn’t likely to convict Mayorkas, as the Democrat-controlled chamber isn’t likely to vote for impeachment by a simple majority, let alone the necessary two-thirds majority. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could even push the Senate to dismiss the charges without a trial. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, an Austin Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will be an impeachment manager. U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, a San Angelo Republican who serves on the Homeland Security Committee, will also be an impeachment manager. Separately from Johnson and the impeachment managers’ letter to Schumer previewing their delivery of the articles of impeachment, Pfluger tried to jump ahead of a possible dismissal by the Senate. “Any Senator who votes to dismiss the impeachment articles is dismissing the cries of millions of Americans who have been negatively impacted by the border crisis,” Pfluger said in a statement. If Schumer and the Senate decide to dismiss the articles, perhaps they’ll keep the trial condensed to a single “Impeachment Week.” [END] --- [1] Url: https://mailchi.mp/texastribune/the-blast-border-week-and-impeachment-week Published and (C) by Texas Tribune Content appears here under this condition or license: Used with Permission: https://www.texastribune.org/republishing-guidelines/. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/texastribune/