Mitt Romney Says He ‘Agonized’ over Impeachment: ‘I Hoped Beyond Hope’ I Wouldn’t Find Him Guilty

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who voted to convict President Trump for abuse of power last week, claimed on Sunday that he “agonized” over the responsibility that came with his decision and said he had “hoped beyond hope” he would not find President Trump guilty.

Speaking to KSL’s Sunday Edition during the weekend, Romney, who asserted last week that the president “committed an act so extreme and egregious that it rises to the level of a high crime and misdemeanor,” said he “agonized over the responsibility that ultimately would come [his] way” and proclaimed that he “hoped beyond hope” he would not find Trump guilty.

“Well, I took my responsibility exactly as the Constitution defines it and as the oath I took requires it,” Romney told KSL’s Doug Wright, again citing his oath before God, “which is what I was sworn before God to apply impartial justice as a Senate juror.”

The Utah senator continued to defend his decision, proclaiming that he “thoroughly studied” the evidence, which moved him to vote to convict the president.

Marco Rubio’s dream week off: ‘Watching every college football game’

An Answer to the Charge of the Supposed ‘Genocide’ in Gaza

Ohio Rep Marcy Kaptur hospitalized after car crash on way to church

Entire Squad endorses Abdul El-Sayed days before Michigan Democratic Senate primary

Trump Admin Putting Major Medical Association’s Billing Code ‘Monopoly’ Under The Microscope

OpenAI Employees Dropped More Than $296K on Democrats While Republicans Got Nothing, Filings Show

Trump DHS chief under fire from conservatives after immigration speech ignites backlash

Bryan Kohberger’s former defense expert calls for death penalty, says investigators missed key evidence

Would-Be Burglar Picked The Wrong North Carolina House To Break Into

GOP Rep Max Miller pushes back against abuse allegations: ‘I have nothing to hide’

Southern university requires business suits, bans du-rags and other headwear in new dress code

Trump demand puts vulnerable Republicans in impossible spot ahead of midterms

Anti-Violence Activist Allegedly Stabs Woman With Box Cutter

Obama Granted Bill Gates Top Secret Clearance At Energy Department

Fauci’s diary details how his relationship with Trump soured

“I agonized over the responsibility that ultimately would come my way,” Romney said. “I hoped beyond hope that I would not have to find him guilty of what had been alleged.”

“They didn’t want to provide any information for those of us who were having a responsibility to provide impartial justice,” Romney said of the refusal to allow additional witnesses to testify.

He also attributed his decision to “family tradition,” citing his dad, whom he described as “a person who stood by his word and did exactly what he thought was right regardless of the consequence.”

“And that is a family tradition which I hold dear,” he said.

“I did believe that I was doing exactly what I swore I would do,” he added.

Romney’s decision to convict the president earned him high praise from high-profile Democrats, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), who praised her colleague’s “courage” during Friday’s Democrat debate in New Hampshire.

“There was a lot of courage you saw from very few people,” Klobuchar said. “There was courage from Doug Jones, our friends from Alabama that took that tough vote. There was courage from Mitt Romney, who took a very, very difficult vote”:

Amy Klobuchar knocks idea of being a "cool newcomer": "We have a newcomer in the White House, and look where it got us. I think having some experience is a good thing." https://t.co/Rhy9aOaDTU #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/cqusxWYJfl

— ABC News (@ABC) February 8, 2020