Romney on impeachment vote to convict: ‘Trump incited the insurrection’

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Saturday explained why he voted to convict former President Trump on the charge that he incited the mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. 

Romney issued a statement in the early evening on Saturday in which he explicitly declared that Trump “incited the insurrection” that led to several deaths, including that of a Capitol Police Officer.

“President Trump incited the insurrection against Congress by using the power of his office to summon his supporters to Washington on January 6th and urging them to march on the Capitol 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,” he said. “Each and every one of these conclusions compels me to support conviction.”

Romney, a frequent critic of the former oresident, was one of seven GOP senators who joined Democrats to convict Trump, agreeing that the former president was “guilty” of “willfully inciting violence agains the Government of the United States.”

He was joined by GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Susan Collins (Maine), Ben Sasse (Neb.), Patrick Toomey (Pa.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Richard Burr (N.C.)

The Senate formally voted 57-43 on Saturday afternoon to acquit Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 riots, marking an end to a week-long trial in the upper chamber.