United States senators on Wednesday afternoon took the oath to be sworn in as jurors in Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' impeachment trial.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), who is presiding over the trial, administered the oath for senators, who were sworn in en masse. The move was mostly ceremonial: While senators had to be sworn in, the trial is not expected to be lengthy or even resemble past impeachment trials, such as the two against Donald Trump.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has proposed rules for a speedy impeachment trial against Mayorkas — including the option for a quick acquittal after about two hours of debate instead of bringing the impeachment articles to a committee or calling witnesses.
In a narrow 214-213 vote in February, the Republican-controlled House impeached Mayorkas on two counts: “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law” and breaching the public trust by maintaining the U.S.-Mexico border is secure. Republicans contend that Mayorkas’ failure to stem the flow of migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally marks a violation of his constitutional duty and merits his removal from office. Most experts consider the charges to stem from policy disputes rather than a “high crime or misdemeanor.”
However, with Democrats controlling the Senate and some moderate Republicans not backing a conviction, Mayorkas is all but guaranteed to be acquitted.
