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.
MTG Attacks Again, Blames Trump for Death Threats Against Her Son
Small Business Administration unveils new initiative to roll back federal regulations
Gavin Newsom Says Charlie Kirk Helped Him Better ‘Understand’ Christianity
China’s missile surge puts every US base in the Pacific at risk — and the window to respond is closing
In-N-Out Retires the Number 67 from Its Ordering System Over Viral ‘6-7’ Trend
Victim’s family breaks silence as Oklahoma teen in violent sex assault case avoids prison time: report
Trump addresses trio of attacks in Syria, Brown University, and Australia at White House Christmas event
‘You’re Not Answering’: Maher Goes Off After Leftist Guest Blames ‘Whitey’ for Islamic Oppression
Trump encourages Jewish Americans to ‘celebrate proudly’ during Hanukkah after deadly Bondi Beach shooting
Ohio Doctor Indicted for Allegedly Drugging Pregnant Girlfriend with Abortion Pills
Oversight says DC police chief ‘undermined’ accuracy of crime data
Polling Finds Pete Buttigieg Less Popular with Black Voters Than Former KKK Leader
Los Angeles Electric School Bus Bursts Into Flames, Driver Hospitalized
Trump’s election win filled Hamas with ‘fear,’ hostage held like ‘slave’ for 505 days recounts
Leaked lessons from first-year University of Illinois education course show extreme left bias: ‘Just so wrong’
“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
MTG Attacks Again, Blames Trump for Death Threats Against Her Son
Small Business Administration unveils new initiative to roll back federal regulations
Gavin Newsom Says Charlie Kirk Helped Him Better ‘Understand’ Christianity
China’s missile surge puts every US base in the Pacific at risk — and the window to respond is closing
In-N-Out Retires the Number 67 from Its Ordering System Over Viral ‘6-7’ Trend
Victim’s family breaks silence as Oklahoma teen in violent sex assault case avoids prison time: report
Trump addresses trio of attacks in Syria, Brown University, and Australia at White House Christmas event
‘You’re Not Answering’: Maher Goes Off After Leftist Guest Blames ‘Whitey’ for Islamic Oppression
Trump encourages Jewish Americans to ‘celebrate proudly’ during Hanukkah after deadly Bondi Beach shooting
Ohio Doctor Indicted for Allegedly Drugging Pregnant Girlfriend with Abortion Pills
Oversight says DC police chief ‘undermined’ accuracy of crime data
Polling Finds Pete Buttigieg Less Popular with Black Voters Than Former KKK Leader
Los Angeles Electric School Bus Bursts Into Flames, Driver Hospitalized
Trump’s election win filled Hamas with ‘fear,’ hostage held like ‘slave’ for 505 days recounts
Leaked lessons from first-year University of Illinois education course show extreme left bias: ‘Just so wrong’
Trump has since slammed Romney for his decision, launching a scathing video criticizing the “slick, slippery, stealthy” lawmaker. The president also took a jab at Romney during last week’s prayer breakfast.
“I don’t like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong,” he said.
However, Romney is not backing down from his decision, telling Sunday Edition, “I hope (Trump) will recognize that there are lines that some people feel he crossed.”
“I am one of those,” he added.
Story cited here.
