The Houston Democrat is recovering from abdominal surgery. Democrats did not expect him to attend the vote, but his surprise appearance sank the impeachment vote.

All of Texas’ House Republicans voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for failing to secure the southern border, but the House fell short of passing the historic resolution on Tuesday after Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, rushed to the House from the hospital where he was recovering from abdominal surgery to vote no.

The impeachment failed on a 216-214 vote. Four Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against the impeachment. The House has not impeached a member of a president’s cabinet in nearly 150 years.

The vote was extremely close, with the outcome unknown until the end of the vote. U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House select committee on China, voted against the resolution. Numerous Republicans, including Texan Reps. Michael McCaul and Jodey Arrington were seen circling around Gallagher as he held out on his vote.

U.S. Reps. Ken Buck of Colorado and Tom McClintock of California also voted against impeachment. U.S. Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, ended up changing his vote to a no at the last minute, tanking the vote but allowing Republicans to bring it up again in the future.

House Republicans were counting on Green to be absent. But he arrived just in time in a wheelchair and scrubs to give Democrats enough votes to kill the impeachment.

  • prole
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    11 months ago

    What a fucking joke. Seems pretty clear that one of their goals is to completely remove any meaning from the word “impeach,” so Trump’s tenure doesn’t look as bad.

    Really great priorities.

      • Buffaloaf@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Technically he got impeached for perjury. Pretty mild compared to Trump’s impeachments.

        • ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Still will never understand it though. Clinton got a blowy and Republicans lost their minds. Trump fucked a hooker and nobody batted an eye

      • prole
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        11 months ago

        Yeah but anyone who knows about that time will tell you that it’s much different and far worse now.

      • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Greene already did that. She blamed Democrats on doing something Republicans didn’t expect for them losing, but in an indignant “how dare they” tone.

    • phx@lemmy.ca
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      11 months ago

      Meh, impeach is weak for Trump anyhow. Insurrection and possibly treason seem more in-line with his actions.