Bost/Bailey Race Continues to Devolve
Both Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) and his 12th Congressional District challenger, former Sen. Darren Bailey, are attempting to woo former President Donald Trump and his supporters.
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OPINION
Any hope the 12th Congressional District primary between Congressman Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) and former State Senator Darren Bailey would turn thoughtful and policy focused was dashed Monday.
Bost, who has dashed to his far right to fend off the challenge from the 2022 GOP nominee for Governor, announced Monday morning he would vote to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Conservatives have claimed Mayorkas has been derelict in his duty to protect the southern border in his time in office.
Just a reminder of what one finds in Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution:
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
No cabinet members have been impeached since 1876, and Mayorkas certainly hasn’t committed any crimes. One could argue he’s bad at his job, but that’s not a constitutional reason for impeachment. Nonetheless, House Republicans punted on the effort to impeach Mayorkas Monday.
Later Monday, Bailey attacked Bost for voting for a government funding bill that provides money to replace the FBI’s aging facility in Washington.
Bost, the “law & order” candidate in the 2022 race for Governor laid out a five paragraph news release attacking the FBI. Bailey accused the FBI of numerous “abuses of power.”
“This is the best we can do,” questioned a longtime southern Illinois Republican. “These guys need to get back to earth in a hurry, because this is embarrassing.”
