Texas Congressman Votes Against Impeachment While in Hospital, Decisive Vote Saves Homeland Security Secretary

A Democratic lawmaker from Texas left the hospital briefly to cast a crucial vote against the impeachment of the homeland security secretary.

Representative Al Green surprised the House floor by entering the chamber being pushed on a wheelchair and wearing hospital scrubs. The 76-year-old’s trip from the emergency room where he was having abdominal surgery was decisive. House Republicans ultimately failed to impeach Alejandro Mayorkas with the final tally at 216-214. They blame Mr Mayorkas for a surge in illegal immigration at the US frontier which is at record levels.

Mr Green spoke to his doctors on whether he could leave for a moment to cast his vote, and later had transportation arranged for him by Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

After arriving at the Capitol, Mr Green’s vitals were checked by an attending physician. In an interview from his hospital bed afterwards, Mr Green said he was determined to cast his vote but did not anticipate how closely divided the House was going to be on the impeachment. ‘I didn’t come assuming that my vote was going to make a difference. I came because it was personal.’

Mr Green, who has served as a House representative for the 9th district of Texas since 2005, said he believed Mr Mayorkas is a ‘good, decent man whose reputation should not be besmirched’.

Opponents of US President Joe Biden have blamed Mr Mayorkas for a surge in illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border. The impeachment proceedings were initiated by Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, and after the vote she said she would try again.

There were three Republican defectors that also voted ‘no’ along with House Democrats. A fourth, Blake Moore of Utah, switched his vote from yes to no, as a procedural manoeuvre.

Mr Green denied he had been playing any games and said he was happy to now be focused on his health.