Green Bay Reporter

Republican Representative Mike Gallagher has outlined his reasons for voting against the impeachment of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. In an opinion editorial published in the Wall Street Journal, Gallagher argues that the impeachment would not resolve President Biden's border crisis and would set a dangerous new precedent that could be used against future Republican administrations.

Gallagher criticizes the use of impeachment as a political weapon, citing previous instances where Speaker Nancy Pelosi and congressional Democrats attempted to impeach former President Trump without producing evidence of a crime. He highlights the dangers of a rushed and hyperpartisan impeachment process that lowers the bar for what constitutes an impeachable offense.

According to Gallagher, the impeachment of Mayorkas based on incompetence and underenforcement of immigration laws would establish a new standard that could be applied to almost every cabinet secretary. He argues that policy disputes and maladministration should not be grounds for impeachment, as they do not rise to the level of high crimes or misdemeanors.

Gallagher points out that the chaos and devastation at the southern border should be attributed to President Biden rather than Secretary Mayorkas. Impeaching Mayorkas would only absolve Biden of responsibility for his own policies, as any replacement would likely implement the same disastrous border strategies.

While proponents of the impeachment argue that it is the only option to hold the Biden administration accountable, Gallagher suggests that there are other tools available to Congress. He mentions oversight, appropriations, lawmaking, Senate confirmations, and elections as political checks that can be utilized to secure the border and address concerns.

Regarding the accusation that Mayorkas failed to comply with subpoenas and obstructed oversight actions, Gallagher suggests taking legal action and holding him in criminal contempt of Congress if he continues to withhold information. He proposes reevaluating impeachment under a more tailored version of the second article.

In conclusion, Gallagher urges Republicans to reject the precedent set by Pelosi and congressional Democrats and avoid creating a new, lower standard for impeachment. He warns that such a standard without clear limiting principles would not secure the border or hold President Biden accountable, but instead open the door to perpetual impeachment.