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.

Judge Slams Mamdani’s ‘Arbitrary’ and ‘Capricious’ Tax, Hands New Yorkers Major Legal Victory

Icon Missing from Florida Church for 100 Years Turns Up on a Back Wall in Another Country

Trump turns to emerging tech giant in multi-billion bid to ramp up US submarine production

Trump sparks outrage for suggesting that Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego

Blue city emerges as ‘suspected hotspot’ of visa fraud as swing state lawmaker demands answers

Peter Navarro seeks Supreme Court review as Trump allies brace for Democratic subpoenas

Another Country Singer Betrays: Built Career on Decent Fans, Now Zach Bryan Trades Them for Terror Apologists

DNA testing confirms body of flight attendant who was killed and thrown from bridge

Watch: Tom Homan Leaves CBS Journalist Speechless, Frozen on Camera With Simple ICE Question He Can’t Answer

Lethal injection survivor Christa Pike’s former satanist boyfriend could be released in 5 years

NYT columnist thrashed online for suggesting Trump is to blame for alleged Cornell gang rape

Millions saved by blocking dead people payouts as Trump Treasury drops hammer on federal fraud

‘Project 1619’ Marxist Creator’s Full Degeneracy Revealed: Her Sick Response When Daughter Told Her She Wanted to Be the Best

Watch: The Priceless Moment Fetterman Accidentally Declares He’s a Lifelong Republican – So Would He Be a Good One?

Battle over Daylight Saving Time erupts as push to stop changing clocks hits Senate wall

“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