1) Johnson about national security threat: I do have a statement and I'm going to be very precise and I'm not going to take questions. But last month, I sent a letter to the WH requesting a meeting with the President to discuss a serious national security issue that is classified
2) Johnson: In response to that letter, a meeting is now scheduled tomorrow on this matter here at the Capitol with the Gang of Four and with the president's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.
3) Johnson: I will press the administration to take appropriate action, and everybody can be comforted by that. I saw Chairman Turner's statement on the issue, and I want to assure the American people there's no need for public alarm.
4) Johnson: We are going to work together to address this matter as we do all sensitive matters that are classified. And beyond that, I'm not at liberty to disclose classified information and really can't say much of that
5) Johnson: But we just want to assure everyone, steady hands are at the wheel, we're working on it. There's no need for alarm.
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1) User’s Manual to What’s Next Now That The House Impeached Mayorkas
The House has now impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
2) Think of impeachment as an indictment. It’s up to the Senate to act as a “court” and judge whether the accused is guilty of the charges in a trial.
The impeachment of cabinet officials is rare. The House has now impeached multiple Presidents and federal judges.
3) But only one cabinet secretary prior to Mayorkas. That was Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876.
Don’t expect anything to start until late February or early March. The House will send the articles of impeachment plus the House “managers” over to the Senate
1) From colleague astute colleague Tyler Olson. House Democrats appear to have outwitted Republicans Tuesday – disguising their attendance numbers and convincing House Republicans they had the votes to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. In fact, they did not
2) On an unrelated vote immediately before the Mayorkas impeachment vote, 218 Republicans voted, compared to 211 Democrats. Each party had one absence.
3) House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) was the absence for Republicans. That was expected, as he is receiving treatment for cancer. Rep. Al Green (D-TX) was absent for Democrats.
1) Fox confirms list of Mayorkas impeachment “managers” who will prosecute the case before the Senate if Mayorkas is in fact impeached tomorrow
2) 11 House “impeachment managers.” They serve as prosecutors, making the case to the Senate in a prospective impeachment trial for DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
3) Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN)
Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX)
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA)
Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA)
Ethics Committee Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS)
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)..
1) House Rules Committee to prep Mayorkas Impeachment Articles for Floor Today
The House Rules Committee meets today to prep two articles of impeachment for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for the floor today.
2) The committee meets at 4 pm et. Fox is told the impeachment articles is the second item on the agenda. That means the panel doesn’t deal with impeachment until 5:30 or 6 pm et.
The section of the meeting focused on impeachment could be contentious and drift into the evening.
3) Taking the impeachment articles to the Rules Committee means the full House could vote to impeach Mayorkas as early as tomorrow. House Republicans have a narrow majority and can only lose three votes.
1) Key portion of border bill. Page 112: MANDATORY ACTIVATION.—The Secretary shall activate the border emergency authority if— ‘‘(i) during a period of 7 consecutive calendar days, there is an average of 5,000 or more aliens who are encountered each day;
2) Border bill: or ‘‘(ii) on any 1 calendar day, a combined total of 8,500 or more aliens are en10 countered. ‘‘(C) CALCULATION OF ACTIVATION.— ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of subparagraphs (A) and (B), the average for the applicable 7-day period shall be calculated using.. ‘
3) Border bill: ‘(I) the sum of— ‘‘(aa) the number of encounters that occur between the southwest land border ports of entry of the United States; ‘‘(bb) the number of encounters that occur between the ports of entry along the southern coastal borders;
1) Senate border bill negotiators are racing to try to get bill text out today. Fox is told that the bill has been “stitched together” and there is a read through today for everyone to make sure the bill is in the form they want it to be.
2) Fox is told that the border/immigration section is complete. But they are trying to make sure everything is in order on the national security portion which provides aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
3) Negotiators really want to get the bill out today to give lawmakers and stakeholders more time to read the bill. Extra time will help if the Senate aims to turn to the measure next week.