Romney noncommittal on impeachment vote but says trial is likely constitutional

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) would not say during an interview on Sunday whether he will again vote to convict former President Trump in his second Senate impeachment trial, but said the proceedings are likely constitutionally sound.

“I think there will be a trial and I hope it goes as quickly as possible but that’s up to the counsel on both sides,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.”

“There’s no question that the article of impeachment that was sent over by the House describes impeachable conduct, but we have not yet heard either from the prosecution or the defense,” added Romney, the only Republican to vote to convict Trump in early 2020. “I’ll get a chance to hear from them, and I’ll do my best as a Senate juror to apply justice as well as I can understand it.”

Fox’s Chris Wallace asked Romney if he agreed with Republicans calling to throw out the article on procedural grounds, arguing it is unconstitutional to convict a former official.

“The Democrats have the majority in the Senate and I doubt they’re going to go along with that move,” Romney, the Republicans’ 2012 presidential nominee, answered. “At the same time, if you look at the preponderance of the legal opinion by scholars over the years … the preponderance of opinion is that yes, an impeachment trial is appropriate after someone leaves office.”

Wallace went on to ask the Utah senator his opinion about President Biden’s appeals to unity at his inauguration.

“I think it’s appropriate for us to have unity of purpose, unity of heart,” Romney said. “At the same time I think there are some actions that the president is taking that are going to lead to some anger and division.”

He specifically cited Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline and termination of new leases for oil, gas and coal extraction on federal land.