Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., told Newsmax on Wednesday that even though the GOP didn't have the votes to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last night, she's confident that there will be enough Republican votes by next week to do so.
"It's disappointing that it didn't pass last night," Malliotakis said during an appearance on "Wake Up America." "I don't think it stops there. I do believe we will have the votes. It's just a matter of making sure that we have the majority leader [Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La.] back. I believe we will win the special election in Long Island as well, and that will give us the votes to put it over the top."
"But, in the meantime, we continue our fight to push the president to do his job," she continued. "Remember, he has the authority right now to secure our border. He used that authority to undo the policies of President [Donald] Trump, and he should reinstate the 'Remain in Mexico' [and] end catch and release. We can resolve this crisis today if the president would just do his job using the existing authority that he has."
Scalise has been in Louisiana following cancer surgery and did not vote on the measure.
Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., and Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, reportedly joined all 212 Democrats in voting against the resolution to impeach Mayorkas.
Malliotakis said that she thinks "it's very unfortunate" that the effort to impeach Mayorkas failed and said that within the Republican majority "there are people that just have a difference of opinion and process."
"I believe that it's clear that Alejandro Mayorkas should be impeached," she said. "He has abdicated his responsibility, has violated federal laws. He sent out a memo specifically directing border agents to not move to deport individuals entering our country who are convicted of crimes. I mean, the damage that they are doing to our nation and public safety and potential terrorism is unbelievable, and we need to take action to remove him because he has violated the laws of this country."
She also said that if "Speaker [Kevin] McCarthy was still there, it would have passed."
"Remember, his seat is now vacant," she said. "We also have Bill Johnson, from Ohio, that's vacant and if McCarthy was still in place as speaker, we would have had that one vote to put it over the top. So look, the antics that have been played … [in the last] year — removing our speaker — I don't think we've benefited from it. People see now how difficult it is to get bills done. It's hard when you have 435 people, and they all have different opinions. When you have a majority of just one or two, it makes it even harder to get everyone in agreement."
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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