CNN
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Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday defended his report on the border, saying his impeachment by House Republicans has no basis in fact or law and he has no plans to decelerate his work.
In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on the Munich Safety Convention, his first since Tuesday’s impeachment vote, Mayorkas downplayed the vote’s results on his day-to-day job, regardless of turning into the primary Cupboard secretary to be impeached in 150 years.
“I don’t let it distract me from the work – would I’ve most well-liked that correctness had prevailed? In fact,” Mayorkas informed Amanpour. “So, the truth that it didn’t, doesn’t, sluggish me down in doing the work that I’m tasked to do by the president of the USA.”
The embattled homeland safety secretary spoke to CNN on the sidelines of the annual safety convention. In a wide-ranging interview, he additionally commented on the reported demise of Russian opposition chief Alexey Navalny and defended President Joe Biden’s psychological acuity within the wake of particular counsel Robert Hur’s report.
As a member of the administration’s delegation to the convention, Mayorkas rebuffed the concept Tuesday’s impeachment had compromised his standing with world leaders.
“They very, very effectively perceive the politics of the second – not solely in the USA, however of their respective nations as effectively,” he stated. “And the leaders with whom I’m assembly, the nice majority of which I’ve met earlier than – they know me. They know me, they know the seriousness of my goal, and the truth that I’m targeted on mission. The politics are an apart.”
Mayorkas left the door open to defending himself throughout impeachment proceedings within the Senate however declined to weigh in definitively both approach, telling Amanpour, “We’ll see what the method brings.”
CNN reported earlier this week that the Senate is unlikely to spend a lot time on the impeachment trial, with sources saying that Democrats might dismiss prices on a easy majority vote earlier than both sides argues its case.
Mayorkas was impeached by Home Republicans over their claims that he had dedicated excessive crimes and misdemeanors for his dealing with of the southern border, although several constitutional consultants have stated the proof doesn’t attain that prime bar. Tuesday’s vote was 214 to 213. Three Republicans – Ken Buck of Colorado, Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, and Tom McClintock of California – voted with Democrats towards the measure.
Republicans have been investigating Mayorkas’ dealing with of the border since they reclaimed the Home majority, however momentum to plot a swift impeachment of the secretary picked up steam last month as key swing-district Republicans expressed recent openness to the concept amid a recent surge of migrant crossings at the southern border.
Within the interview Friday, Mayorkas acknowledged “unanimity” throughout the political spectrum “that our system in the USA – our immigration system – is damaged.”
However he known as on Republicans in Congress to again bipartisan immigration reform handed earlier this week within the Senate.
“I used to be very privileged and honored to take a seat with a bipartisan group of senators to trend legislative fixes which might be overdue now for many years,” he stated. “It’s in reality what the Republicans insisted upon – the bipartisan group of senators delivered, the query that everybody is asking is, was an answer really desired, or do individuals need the issue as a software for politics?”
On Navalny’s reported demise, Mayorkas informed Amanpour in an interview on Friday that, if confirmed, it might mark “tragic information for the world.”
“We’re, in fact, nonetheless confirming it, however it speaks to the depravity of Vladimir Putin and our want, as a world, to have resolve towards authoritarianism and the invasion of one other nation that’s simply craving for its sovereignty,” Mayorkas informed Amanpour.
The homeland safety secretary criticized Home Republicans for blocking extra help to Ukraine, citing the administration’s efforts to current “a united entrance towards Vladimir Putin.”
“The lack to proceed with emphasis that management on the a part of the USA – the uncertainty that we’re bringing – solely can empower Vladimir Putin, and we now have to proceed our management,” he stated.
The homeland safety secretary additionally took the chance to push again towards final week’s particular counsel report from Hur, taking problem with Hur’s characterization of Biden as an getting old president beset by reminiscence points.
“I’ve interacted with the president numerous occasions,” Mayorkas informed Amanpour. “I’ve stated publicly essentially the most tough half a few assembly with President Biden is making ready for it, as a result of he’s probing, exacting, and fairly detail-oriented and targeted.”
And he known as Hur’s feedback on Biden’s potential to recall key occasions “inappropriate, and a deviation from Division of Justice norms.”
“The duty of a prosecutor, together with a particular counsel, is to be taught the details, decide the details, and apply the regulation to these details – that was performed, and the conclusion is that no case was there, and due to this fact the case is closed,” Mayorkas stated. “So as to add the truth that these gratuitous private remarks had been terribly inaccurate solely makes it much more inappropriate.”