Mitt Romney: Trump shouldn’t be impeached because he’s a “sitting president”
Mitt Romney, running as the Republican candidate for Senate in Utah, doesn’t think it makes sense to talk about impeaching President Donald Trump — because Trump is a “sitting president.”
“I don’t think it makes sense to be talking about impeachment, not for a sitting president,” Romney said at a debate with Democratic Senate candidate Jenny Wilson , a former US congressional aide who is on the Salt Lake County Council, this week.
Of course, impeachment, by definition , is the act of formally charging a sitting official who has committed a crime or acted inappropriately. It’s not clear who Romney thinks could be impeached, given his remarks, but his sentiment is telling of a much broader attitude toward Trump in the Republican Party — one that Romney has increasingly adopted.
Romney was once the leader of the Never Trump movement, making headlines for calling for Trump to release his tax returns and referring to the president a “fraud” and “phony.” But that’s all changed.
Now, expected to win the Senate race in Utah and head to Washington, Romney appears to have adopted the same mindset many traditional congressional Republicans and conservatives have settled into under Trump. As long as Trump promotes conservative policies like tax cuts and an aggressive deregulatory agenda, and nominates conservative judges, all the other stuff — the explicit racism, demagoguery, and destruction of democratic norms — can fall by the wayside.
Asked if he still thought Trump was a “phony,” Romney instead focused on what he likes about Trump’s presidency:
I agree with the tax plan, overall. I agree that the deregulation effort has been wise. There were extraordinary land grabs by President Obama and Clinton.
There are times when I think the president has said things that are racist and misogynistic. I will speak out about those things. I choose the things that I say ... when something of great significance, I will speak my mind and do my best to represent the values and feelings of the people of Utah.
I also believe he is president and that he is doing a lot of things that are very helpful for our state. I will support him in those things.
In other words, it’s worth it for the tax cuts.
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I had a little respect for Mitt when he was calling trump a phony and a fraud. Too bad those days are long gone.
It should scare people when these people will do or say anything to hold onto or regain power.
Never said otherwise. I wish the Clintons would ride off into the sunset.
Debatable.
I think he meant to say "Trump is a sinning president".
or maybe
"Trump is a shitty president"
The acoustics in the hall were lacking.
I'm not sure what the heck Mitt meant by that. Maybe he thinks some former president should have been impeached?
By the way, the Vox headline is inaccurate. Mitt didn't say that Trump shouldn't be impeached because he's a sitting president.
What he actually said is “I don’t think it makes sense to be talking about impeachment, not for a sitting president,”.
So your spin is what?
Good question.
We don't know what he meant. Vox added the word "because" and that limits the possibilities for his intent. He could have meant that Trump might reasonably be prosecuted for something he did before he was president, but that it would be inappropriate to prosecute him while he's a sitting president. It's also possible he was thinking some previous president (i.e. no longer sitting) should have been impeached. Maybe he means impeachment of this sitting president is not warranted at this time. Maybe he simply misspoke, like when Obama referenced 57 states. Who knows? There may be other possibilities I haven't thought of.
However, given his long experience in politics and just basic education, which we know he has, it is highly improbable that Mitt Romney doesn't know impeachment is how a sitting president can be removed from office, which is the only interpretation you and Vox are willing to entertain.
Mitt's 2018 to do list.
Get elected as a utah senator.
Buy 4 bedroom townhouse in DC.
Select 4 teenage girl interns.
Mitt Romney, running as the Republican candidate for Senate in Utah, doesn’t think it makes sense to talk about impeaching President Donald Trump — because Trump is a “sitting president.”
.
ive got it
wait till he stands the F up !
cause he is a Constant F up
Mitt Romney: Trump shouldn’t be impeached because he’s a “sitting president”
I have one million binders full of women who disagree.
Mitt Romney: Trump Shouldn’t Be Impeached Because He’s A “Sitting President”
Well...then maybe we can get him to stand up!
hell of an original idea
hell of an original idea
Well, when you've been in this business as long as I have, you learn a few tricks!