Trial of Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security

Floor Speech

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Mr. LEE. Madam President, as wrong as the majority leader was moments ago in making this particular point of order as to article I, the impeachment article--article I, remember, refers to the willful defiance by Secretary Mayorkas of the law. As wrong as he was in making that as to article I--and he was very wrong for the reasons articulated moments ago by the Senator from Texas--he is even more wrong, far more so, with respect to article II, because article II accuses him of knowingly making false statements. This is a violation of 18 U.S.C., section 1001--a felony offense.

If this is not a high crime and misdemeanor, what is? If this is not impeachable, what is? What precedent will be set? We need to address this, and to discuss it, we need to discuss it in closed session. Motion For Closed Session

For that reason, Madam President, I move that the Senate proceed to closed session to allow for the deliberation on this very consequential point of order that he has just made that violates hundreds of years of Anglo-American legal precedent and understanding on the question required by impeachment, rule XXIV, and I call for the yeas and nays. Vote on Motion

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