In a divided Congress, it turns out, COVID-19 remains a player.
The still lingering virus on Tuesday prevented San Gabriel Valley Rep. Judy Chu from casting her “no” vote on articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
The result: A super-slim 214-213 win for Republicans, approving the articles, making it the first time since the Reconstruction era that a sitting presidential cabinet member has been impeached.
Chu, who represents a swath of Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley in the House, was greeted with a chorus of critics on social media after revealing why she could not attend the vote, which she called a “sham.”
“Unfortunately, I recently tested positive for COVID-19 and am isolating in accordance with CDC guidelines,” she said in a later afternoon post on X.
Had I been able to be on the House Floor tonight, I would have voted once again against the sham impeachment of @SecMayorkas. pic.twitter.com/1BThC3U2ep
— Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) February 14, 2024
The virus, she said, prevented her from being on the House floor to join colleagues in what might have been a second block of the proposed articles, which allege that Mayorkas willfully and systematically” refused to enforce existing immigration laws and that he breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure.
That, they allege, meets the constitutional threshold of “high crimes and misdemeanors.”
Mayorkas has denied the allegations, which failed as impeachment articles on their first floor vote last week. But on that vote, it was Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, battling cancer, who could not be on the floor. And given three Republican dissenters, Scalise’s absence led to an embarrassing defeat.
Those dissenters stood firm on their no votes on Tuesday. But Scalise returned from cancer care to cast a yes. And with Chu out, that reversed the outcome, meaning now the articles will go to the U.S. Senate, which, led by Democrats, is expected to fail.
That did not seem to appease the chorus chiding Chu for not voting on Tuesday, in the social media zeitgeist.
“Why weren’t you? Unless you’re fighting for your life, you deserve to be voted out,” read one post.
Another: “Where were you????????????????”
Chu has supported policies advanced under Mayorkas, including immigration enforcement guidelines, which aimed to protect immigrant workers.
In her district, some were incredulous over why she’d be criticized for not showing up while sick.
“Judy Chu has been one of the strongest leaders for political empowerment for the Asian community in the U.S.,” said Alan Clayton, who for years has been engaged politically in the area and in the drawing of redistricting maps.” It’s a shame if anybody’s criticizing her for not showing up because she was ill. If she could have made it, she would have made it.”
He predicted it would lose steam in the Senate. A U.S. Senator seemed to agree.
“House Republicans are more interested in playing Trump’s political games than getting serious about immigration reform and addressing the challenges at our border,” said Sen. Alex Padilla in a post on X. “Plain and simple.”
Republicans have long alleged that the Homeland Security secretary has shirked his obligations amid an influx of migrants at the Southern border.
Multiple scholars have noted that the charges amount to a policy dispute.
Dissenters such as California Republican Tom McClintock, R-Modesto, say the charges do rise to the level of “high crimes,” just as he noted that charges against Donald Trump did not rise to “high crimes” during his presidential term.
Nevertheless, border security has risen to the top of the campaign agenda, with Republican frontrunner Trump insisting he will launch “the largest domestic deportation operation in American history” if he retakes the White House, according to the Associated Press.