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.

Applause Erupts as Crowd of Over 100,000 Sees Trump on the Jumbotron at Major SEC Showdown

They Told Us Trans People Are Dying Everywhere – Turns Out the Few Deaths That There Are Decreased Under Trump

Georgia man, 18, charged with murder after dismembered human remains found in car trunk

Trump claims stunning casualty numbers in Russia-Ukraine war

Trump’s home county hits pause on data centers over environment and electric bill concerns

US, China strike deal to lower tariffs on $30B in goods after Trump-Xi Washington summit

Idaho Prop 1 Isn’t ‘Reproductive Freedom’: It’s a Vote to Kill More Babies

Incoming Democrat Rep. for NYC Arrested for Refusing to Obey Police Orders, Attempting to Get Netanyahu Arrested

Mamdani Celebrates ‘Closing’ the Budget: All He Did Was Move Some Numbers Around, and Constituents Are Still Packing for Florida

Watch: Even Murder Victim’s Family Almost Laughs as Court Plays ‘American Idol’ Killer Suspect’s Terrible Love Songs for Mistress

Dem House hopeful endorsed by activist who said ‘evil Jews run the world’

Trump revives rare budget maneuver to rescind $810M in congressionally approved funds

Illegal immigrants, 89 and 73, accused of armed drug trafficking decades after sneaking into US

Wave of overlooked ‘left-wing’ lawsuits could come with an unexpected price tag for Americans

Mistress may have handed prosecutors missing ‘why’ in ‘American Idol’ alum’s wife murder case: expert

“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