Why Mitt Romney voted to convict Trump in the former president’s 2nd impeachment trial

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, arrives as the Senate convenes in a rare weekend session in the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, at the Capitol in Washington on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021. | J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press

Utah Sen. Mike Lee voted to acquit

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah GOP Sen. Mitt Romney on Saturday voted to convict former President Donald Trump of inciting an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

As expected, Mike Lee, Utah’s senior senator, voted to acquit.

Romney was one of seven Republicans who crossed the aisle and voted to convict the former president at the end of a five-day impeachment trial. Trump was ultimately acquitted on a 57-43 vote. Conviction in the Senate requires a two-thirds majority, or 67 votes.

It is the second time Trump has been acquitted in an impeachment trial.

“President Trump is guilty of the charge made by the House of Representatives,” Romney said in a statement released following his vote. He said Trump “attempted to corrupt the election by pressuring the secretary of state of Georgia to falsify the election results in his state,” and incited “the insurrection against Congress” during the counting of electoral votes.

“He did this despite the obvious and well-known threats of violence that day,” Romney said. “President Trump also violated his oath of office by failing to protect the Capitol, the vice president and others in the Capitol. Each and every one of these conclusions compels me to support conviction.”

Lee, who voted to acquit the former president, interrupted the impeachment trial a second time on Saturday after his name was again brought up involving evidence citing him.

Stefani Reynolds, Associated Pres

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, walks on Capitol Hill on the fifth day of the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington.

Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the seven Republicans, including Romney, who voted to convict and impeach Trump were “true patriots.”

“This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our country,” a statement from Trump said. “No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million people, the highest number ever for a sitting president, who voted for us just a few short months ago.”

The seven Republicans who voted to convict the former president are Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina; Sen. Bill Cassidy, Louisiana; Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; Sen Ben Sasse of Nebraska; Sen Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania; and Romney.

This story will be updated.

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