Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) has rightfully earned a reputation for destroying Biden nominees and Democrat expert witnesses with calculated, surgical precision. In fact, Kennedy has succeeded in getting some of Biden’s nominees to drop out of consideration after exposing them as being completely unqualified.
On Wednesday, impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas experienced Kennedy's wrath when he appeared before the Senate Appropriations Committee regarding Biden's 2025 budget request for the department.
"It gives me no joy to say this, but most Republicans don't trust you," Sen. Kennedy told the embattled secretary. "A vast majority of the American people don't trust you. That's why you've been impeached."
Related: Will There Be a Mayorkas Trial?
"Now, my Democratic colleagues are going to try and sweep your impeachment under the rug and violate 200 years of Senate precedent in doing it,” Kennedy continued, adding that Democrats may be able to sweep the impeachment under the rug, but not the issue of the border crisis.
Kennedy continued.
Again, it gives me no joy in saying this: I think well more than a majority of the American people think that as a result of your behavior and President Biden's behavior, our southern border is an open, bleeding wound. I think they believe that our southern border is chaotic; I think a vast majority of the American people believe that a lot of it is political; I think a vast majority of the American people believe that it is chaotic by design and that all of this is intentional. And I think that a vast majority of the American people who don't trust you believe in legal immigration, they don't believe in illegal immigration, and they think you do, and they think President Biden does — and they think that's why the border is open. And they think that your attitude and President Biden’s attitude is that while they may be poorer under President Biden that they’re stupid enough to believe you and the president when you say that it’s not your problem. I think that needed to be said.
Kennedy then launched into his questioning.
"Isn't it a fact, Mr. Secretary, that the number of illegal immigrants that you and the president allow into our country counts for congressional district reapportionment?" Kennedy asked.
And Mayorkas thought he could get away with playing dumb.
"Senator, I'm not sure I understand your question — but I can surely share with you that I disagree with its phrasing,” he replied.
"Isn't it true, Mr. Secretary, that the number of illegal immigrants that you and President Biden have allowed into our country counts toward allocating electoral votes?” Kennedy followed-up.
“I... same answer,” Mayorkas answered.
"You don't know?" Kennedy asked, astonished.
"I don't understand your question—"
"It never crossed your mind?"
"The notion, senator, that we intend to allow illegal immigration is nothing short of preposterous," Mayorkas insisted.
"So you do understand my question," Kennedy pointed out.
Mayorkas just ignored the fact that he’d outed himself as a liar and accused Kennedy of disrespecting the Department of Homeland Security—which, of course, Kennedy was having none of.
"Mr. Secretary, you're using up my time. You do this every single time. You do this every single time. And it's a fact and I know it, that the more people you allow into our country illegally the more people are counted for reapportionment, and the more people that you allow into our country illegally, the more people are counted for allocating electoral votes. Now maybe that's a coincidence, but that's fact. You know that, and you've done nothing for four years: nada, zero, zilch."
Did you think Kennedy was done? Hardly.
"The only people I know in this country who are better off today than they were four years ago are illegal immigrants," he continued. "And that's as a result of your policy. I don't hate you for it; I don't hate anyone, but that's why you've been impeached."
A majority of the American people think that, as a result of Sec. Mayorkas and Pres. Biden's behavior, our southern border is an open bleeding wound.
— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) April 10, 2024
And they believe that this chaos is by design. pic.twitter.com/DerI7wR9kB
Senate Democrats may try to dismiss the impeachment charges against Sec. Mayorkas, but they can’t sweep the Biden #BorderCrisis under the rug—not even a rug as big as the United States of America. pic.twitter.com/YDw0XPTMR5
— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) April 10, 2024
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