Several House Republicans joined Democrats in voting down a measure to censure Rep. LaMonica McIver after being charged by the Justice Department for her role in a chaotic May altercation outside an immigration detention center.
Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) had pushed for the reprimand, which also sought to strip McIver of her seat on the House Homeland Security Committee. The three-page measure alleges McIver’s actions “do not reflect creditably on the House” and that her continued service on the Homeland Security Committee “would represent a significant conflict of interest.” The measure does not target McIver’s membership on the Small Business Committee, reported Axios.
But a number of Republicans signaled they were unwilling to move forward with the punishment. Five Republicans — Reps. Don Bacon and Mike Flood of Nebraska, Dave Joyce and Mike Turner of Ohio, and David Valadao of California — joined all Democrats in voting to table the measure. Two others, Reps. Andrew Garbarino of New York and Nathaniel Moran of Texas voted present, POLITICO reported.
“I think it’s best to let the Ethics Committee finish its report,” Bacon later said. A spokesperson for Turner said the Ohio Republican cast the vote in error, though the mistake did not affect the outcome, the outlet noted further.
McIver, along with Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman and Rob Menendez, was attempting an oversight visit at the Newark, N.J., immigration facility when federal agents arrested the city’s mayor.
Prosecutors later dropped the charge against the mayor, but Acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba brought assault charges against McIver, carrying a potential 17-year sentence. Habba alleged McIver struck one federal agent with her forearm, grabbed him forcibly, and used her arms to hit another agent.
McIver has denied the allegations, but video of the incident appears to show her clearly becoming physical with an ICE officer, allegedly striking him from behind. According to Justice Department prosecutors, McIver allegedly elbowed and grabbed an ICE agent outside the Delaney Hall detention facility in Newark.