The Senate took little time to dismiss impeachment charges against the Secretary of Homeland Security. A volcano erupted in Indonesia, prompting evacuations and fears of a tsunami. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, April 18, 2024.
Senate dismissed articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Mayorkas
The Senate quickly voted to dismiss impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, April 17, with the trial lasting just hours.
The Senate rejected two articles of impeachment brought by House Republicans. Democrats argued that both charges were unconstitutional. In a party-line vote of 51-48, the Senate dismissed the first article accusing Mayorkas of a willful and systematic refusal to comply with immigration law. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted “present.”
The second article, alleging Mayorkas lied to Congress under oath about border security, was dismissed by a strict party-line vote of 51-49.
The Senate ended the trial about three hours after it began.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., stated the charges failed to meet “the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.”
“And we felt very strongly that we had to set a precedent that impeachment should never be used to settle policy disagreements. I felt that very strongly,” Schumer said. “This is the first impeachment I can recall, you look at history, none were done because there were policy disagreements. If we allowed that to happen, it would set a disastrous precedent for Congress, could throw our system of checks and balances into cycles of chaos.”
In response, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said, “History will not judge this moment well.”
Speaker Johnson said House will vote on Ukraine, Israel aid this weekend
A vote on a foreign aid package that would send additional funding to Ukraine and Israel is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, April 27, in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Ala., said.
The House version, similar to the Senate’s $95 billion package passed in February, will be divided into three separate pieces of legislation and voted on individually before being sent to the Senate as a single bill.
A fourth bill, containing policies favored by Republican lawmakers, including turning Ukraine’s aid into a loan, more sanctions on Iran and measures regarding the social media app TikTok, is also expected to be voted on.
While Johnson hopes to gain enough support from House Democrats and fellow Republicans to pass the bills, he received an endorsement from President Joe Biden. In a statement, Biden said he strongly supports the package and will sign it into law immediately to “send a message to the world: We stand with our friends, and we won’t let Iran or Russia succeed.”
911 emergency outages resolved in four states
Emergency 911 services were restored Wednesday night, April 17, in South Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada and Texas following a major outage that left call centers unreachable for many residents. The cause has not been identified but Homeland Security has noted the increasing risks of cyberattacks on digital 911 systems.
In Del Rio, Texas, the issue was traced to a major cellular carrier. Services in Las Vegas and other affected areas have resumed, and all missed emergency calls have been returned.
Reuters reports that the Transportation Department’s Office of Emergency Medical Services, the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency did not immediately return requests for comment.
Indonesia issues tsunami alert after volcano erupts on remote island
Indonesian authorities have ordered hundreds to evacuate following multiple eruptions of Mount Ruang, a volcano in North Indonesia, that began erupting Tuesday, April 16.
The volcano has been spewing lava and ash thousands of feet into the air, accompanied by lightning strikes. Mount Ruang is a stratovolcano, characterized by its cone-like shape and steep sides formed by thick, slow-flowing lava. Such volcanoes often erupt explosively due to gas buildup in the magma.
Indonesia’s volcanology agency has raised the alert to its highest level, citing the potential for a partial collapse into the sea that could trigger a tsunami, similar to an event in 1871.
Approximately 800 residents have been relocated to a nearby island as a precaution.
Google fires 28 employees after protest, lays off others amid restructuring
Google has fired 28 workers who protested at the company’s offices in California and New York on Tuesday, April 16, over a contract with the Israeli government, a company spokesperson said. The employees were terminated for “physically impeding other employees’ work and preventing them from accessing” facilities, which was described as a “clear violation” of Google’s policies.
The firings on Wednesday, April 17, came after additional layoffs at Google were reported earlier as the tech giant continues to restructure and cut costs. The company has not confirmed the number of employees dismissed in this latest round of cuts.
Business Insider reported that members of the real estate and finance departments were affected.
According to an email sent to staff, Google’s finance chief said the company is looking to build “growth hubs” in cities outside the U.S., including Mexico City and Dublin, as part of the restructuring.
Hawaii begins process of removing World War II Ha‘ikū Stairs
The “Stairway to Heaven” in Hawaii, officially known as the Ha‘ikū Stairs, is being dismantled after being closed to the public since 1987. Built by the U.S. Navy during World War II, the stairway consists of nearly 4,000 steps winding through a steep mountainside more than 2,800 feet above sea level.
Despite being off-limits, the trail has continued to attract thrill seekers, exacerbated by social media, according to the Honolulu City Council.
The council has initiated a $2.5 million removal process expected to last at least six months.