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.

RNC chair says Talarico’s GOP crossover hopes are a ‘pipe dream’: ‘Nobody is going to follow him’

‘Outsider’ House primary winner sets sights on flipping longtime GOP seat back from Dems: ‘Ready for a change’

Massachusetts Governor Signs New Law Blocking ICE Access to Several Locations

DSA Governor Candidate Hires OnlyFans Model as Deputy Campaign Manager

Tennessee Candidate Arrested After Allegedly Shooting Down Flock Cameras

University of Michigan Goes Full Participation Trophy, Will Hide Grades for Student ‘Mental Health’

Florida man accused of killing nurse mom who helped him despite repeated arrests for threatening her: sheriff

Miss North Carolina USA pageant producers fire back after winner says she lost title over faith

WNBA Commissioner Announces League Is Reviewing Trans Inclusion After Former NBA Players Declare for Draft

Justice Department Settles With Pro-Life Father of 11 Whose Home They Busted Into

IN CHARTS: A visual breakdown of the Smithsonian’s billion-dollar taxpayer-funded budget

Socialists rising in Colorado? Send in the Marines, GOP nominee says

Why Stephen Miller thinks orders limiting birthright citizenship will go differently this time

EXCLUSIVE: Talarico caught on tape giggling about his church housing illegal immigrants set for deportation

Two dead, including infant, after boat capsizes in New York Harbor; 12 rescued

“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