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.

Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate John James skips Vance rally, citing debate prep

Hollywood Mega Producer Admits to Joe Rogan That Once Societies Abandon God, They Turn To Tyranny

Active shooter report at Oregon elementary school draws large police response

‘One of a Kind’ Pastor Serving in Trump Administration Dies at Age 47

Horse farm owner gets life in prison for boyfriend’s murder after claiming self-defense

Fort Hood survivors praise Trump for scrapping Hasan execution livestream: ‘We’re not barbaric’

British defense secretary to ask Hegseth about Starshield outage as UK tries to ‘bridge’ US and Ukraine ‘back together’

Trump links Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to Muslim Brotherhood: ‘He’s a con man’

WH Investigating Ex-Kennedy Center Head Over Reportedly Missing $5.6 Million Donation – Had Previously Fired Western Journal Founder Over His Faith

DOJ case attacks mass murder fandom culture behind Canadian school shooting

Bill and Hillary Clinton make eleventh-hour midterm moves as party’s old guard faces new reality

Somalis in Minnesota unleash fury on Trump after feds raid Ilhan Omar’s DC home

MS NOW Reporter Offers Hilarious Apology After Fake Reporting: Kash Patel ‘Did Not, in Fact, Land in Russia’

Gaza cut off from commercial goods imports, Israel says

James Talarico Tries To Play Moderate at CNN Town Hall, Gets Owned on Abortion by Catholic Voter

“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