Mitt Romney, who said he was “sickened” by the actions of President Trump and his campaign detailed in special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, called Rep. Justin Amash “courageous” for being the first Republican in Congress to call for the president’s impeachment.
The Utah senator responded Sunday to fellow Republican Amash’s charge that Trump committed impeachable offenses. Amash laid out his argument Saturday on Twitter.
“Mueller’s report identifies multiple examples of conduct satisfying all the elements of obstruction of justice, and undoubtedly any person who is not the president of the United States would be indicted based on such evidence,” the Michigan congressman wrote.
“I respect him. I think it’s a courageous statement,” Romney told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Romney said he reached a different conclusion after reading the 448-page report on Russian interference in the 2016 election, however.
“I just don’t think that there is the full element that you’d need to prove an obstruction of justice case,” Romney said. “As I read the report, I was troubled by it. Was very disappointing for a number of reasons. But it did not suggest to me that this was a time to call for impeachment.”
“The American people just aren’t there,” he added.
Romney was not ready, however, to say Trump would get his vote in 2020. The 2012 Republican presidential nominee wrote in his wife’s name on the ballot in 2016.
“I have not made any decision on that front,” he said. “It’s way too early.”
Romney did agree with Trump on one issue, saying that Alabama’s new law that bans abortion even in cases of rape or incest goes too far. Trump tweeted late Saturday that he supported such exceptions.
“I believe that there ought to be exceptions. I’m pro-life, but there ought to be exceptions for rape and incest and where the life of the mother is at risk,” he said. “You’re seeing laws on both sides of this argument that are in the extreme. … I don’t think that’s productive. I think something much more towards the center makes a lot more sense.”
