Republicans Botch Another Impeachment - The Wednesday AM Quickie 2/7/24

By Jacob Silverman — Feb 7, 2024

There is something deeply appropriate about having the 2026 World Cup final in suburban New Jersey. --Jacob

Tell your friends to sign up for this M-F newsletter at AMQuickie.com!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and the folks at Sunset Lake CBD hope you’re treating yourself to something nice this year. How does hand made fudge and a good night’s sleep sound?

You can save 30% on their lineup of CBD-infused edible products— including select bundles— with coupon code Sweet. Don’t wait! This sale ends on February 14th.

THE BIG NEWS

Republicans Fail to Impeach DHS Secretary Mayorkas

In yet another useless act of political theater, the Republican-led House of Representatives rejected impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The vote was 216 to 214, including three Republican no votes. The impeachment would have potentially led to Mayorkas' removal, which would have done pretty much nothing except to allow Republicans to claim victory against an open-borders policy that doesn't exist.

In a late-but-pivotal vote, Rep. Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, appeared on the House floor in hospital clothes, having just had emergency abdominal surgery. "I didn’t come assuming that my vote was going to make a difference," said Green, who repeatedly tried to impeach President Donald Trump. "I came because it was personal."

Republican Speaker Mike Johnson still thought he had the votes needed, and he held the vote open for a few extra minutes as Democrats booed and called for a close, but it wasn't enough. The mangled act of vote whipping showed that the traditionally obstructionist Republicans no longer have the unified sense of purpose that made them an effective – and maddening – political instrument over the last decade.

Mayorkas isn't even a good DHS secretary, at least by liberal-left standards. He presides over a department every bit as draconian and anti-immigrant as those of past administrations. But the White House sets policy. And now, the Biden administration is in the maddening position of supporting what were, until this week, hardline Republican immigration and border policies that should be anathema to progressives. In a time of growing right-wing hysteria, the Democrats have become the new law-and-order party.

MORE STORIES TO WATCH

Appeals Court Rejects Trump Immunity Argument

Donald Trump does not have immunity for crimes he may have committed while president, according to a federal appeals court. The three-judge panel rejected the Trump legal team's arguments, which have basically amounted to the old Nixonian adage that if the president does it, it's not illegal. "We cannot accept that the office of the Presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter," the judges wrote in their opinion.

Trump now has until February 12 to decide whether he will appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. His trial was originally scheduled for March but has been postponed.

Republican National Committee Chair Resigns

After some speculation over her job security, RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel has reportedly told former President Donald Trump that she plans to resign after the South Carolina presidential primary later this month. The leading candidate to replace her seems to be Michael Whatley, who heads the North Carolina Republican Party. Whatley is a 2020 election denier, which means he believes in the new MAGA gospel. Expect some particularly whacked out MAGA loyalists to ascend ever higher. How does RNC Co-Chair Laura Loomer sound?

QUICKEST QUICKIES

With Musk's Help, Gina Carano Sues Disney Actor Gina Carano, who was fired in 2021 from the Star Wars show "The Mandalorian," has sued Disney, and Elon Musk is paying her legal bills. Carano claims that she was fired for her tweets expressing her conservative political views. Musk plans to fund more lawsuits against Disney. via CBS News.
Israeli Government Believes 50 Hostages May Have Died The Israeli government privately believes that as many as 50 hostages – and not the reported 29 – held by Hamas and its allies may be dead. At least 80 Israelis remain held as hostages in Gaza. via Wall Street Journal.
Jury Convicts Mother of School Shooter A jury found a woman guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with her son shooting dead four students in 2021. The parents bought their 15-year-old son the gun and didn't act on warning signs of his violent intent. It's the first case to find a parent culpable for their child's school shooting. via ABC News.
Israel's Weak Evidence of UNRWA Terrorism Britain's Channel 4 News examined Israel's six-page dossier alleging that twelve UNRWA employees contributed to the October 7 attack. They found the document unconvincing. via Channel 4.

SOME NUMBER

55 feet

That's how far underground a hole was drilled for a new MTA tunnel beneath Grand Central Terminal. In what seems like a throwback to an earlier, more devout era of infrastructure projects, Reverend Brendan Fitzgerald, a Catholic priest, descended that 55 feet to recite a blessing and pour holy water on the construction site. In addition to his church in the Bronx, Rev. Fitzgerald is the official chaplain for Sandhogs Local 147, whose workers have dug tunnels in New York for decades. The tunnel, which will service the 7 train, should be complete by the end of 2024.

ON THE SHOW TODAY

2/7: It's Hump Day! Sam and Emma speak with independent journalist Erin Reed, author of the Erin In The Morning newsletter on SubStack, to discuss the state of anti-trans legislation moving its way around the country in 2024. Then, they speak with Margie Mason & Robin McDowell, investigative reporters for the Associated Press, to discuss their recent reporting on prison labor in the United States. And in the Fun Half, Tim Heidecker makes a special appearance!

DON'T MISS MR CLIPS‌

Biden's Immigration Deal Fiasco Is Way Worse Than You Thought

The Democrats have replaced no policy with bad policy.

Sinema Giving Taxpayers The Middle-Finger On Her Way Out

Nothing signals Kyrsten Sinema's contempt for voters like her extravagant spending.

PARTING WORDS

"This has come to haunt us in our homeland. It’s come to haunt us in the U.S. It’s come to haunt us in Texas. This is not acceptable. And I beg you to call an end for this madness."

-- Nizar Doer, whose 23-year-old son, Zacharia, was stabbed after leaving a ceasefire protest in Austin. "Mr. Joe Biden, I blame you for what happened to me," said Zacharia, who survived the attack.

Quickie Discount Code Corner

Hey check it out! Stuff on sale!

ExpressVPN: Stop handing over your personal data to the Big Tech monopoly that mines your activity and sells your information. Protect yourself with the VPN I trust to keep me safe online. Visit https://ExpressVPN.com/majority. That’s https://ExpressVPN.com/majority to get three extra months free.

Ritual: Essential for Men is a quality multivitamin from a company you can actually trust. Get 40% off your first month for a limited time at https://ritual.com/ MAJORITY. This offer is only available through January 31st. Start Ritual or add Essential For Men to your subscription today.

ZBiotics: Go to https://zbiotics.com/MAJORITY to get 15% off your first order when you use MAJORITY at checkout. You can also sign up for a subscription using my code - so you can stay prepared no matter the time or occasion. ZBiotics is backed with 100% money back guarantee so if you’re unsatisfied for any reason, they’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Henson Shaving: Henson Shaving is giving my audience a 2-year supply of blades for FREE. Just go to https://HENSONSHAVING.com/MAJORITY, That’s https://HENSONSHAVING.com/MAJORITY. Add a razor and 100-pack of blades to your cart, then enter code MAJORITY to get the blades for free.

Shopify: Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/majority. Go to https://shopify.com/majority now to grow your business–no matter what stage you’re in.

LiquidIV: Revive yourself for the New Year. Grab your Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier Sugar-Free in bulk nationwide at Costco or get 20% off your first order when you go to https://liquidiv.com/majorityrep at checkout. That’s 20% off your first order when you shop better hydration today using promo code MAJORITYREP at https://liquidiv.com.

Nutrafol: Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month’s subscription and free shipping when you go to https://Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code TMR. Find out why over 4,000 healthcare professionals recommend Nutrafol for healthier hair.

Sunset Lake CBD: Sunsetlakecbd is a majority employee owned farm in Vermont, producing 100% pesticide free CBD products. Use code Leftisbest and get 20% off at http://www.sunsetlakecbd.com.

CozyEarth: IF you’ve never tried Cozy Earth, I've got awesome news! You can SAVE up to 35% off Cozy Earth right now! But hurry... this offer won't last. Go to https://CozyEarth.com and enter mypromo code MAJORITY REPORT at checkout for up to 35% off on your first order! That's https://CozyEarth.com promo code MAJORITY REPORT.