This week, Deseret News has received a large volume of letters voicing opinion on Sen. Mitt Romney’s vote in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. Read what some writers had to say on the subject.
He personified America’s ideals
We live in an age where politics have become so polarized, and bullying has become such an accepted response to disagreement, that it can be frightening just to admit to members of your own party who you support in a presidential primary. In this climate, Sen. Mitt Romney’s decision to stand alone against his own party and vote to impeach President Donald Trump is extraordinary.
I have never voted for Sen. Romney for any office, and strongly disagree with him on most issues. But by choosing to “do what is right and let the consequence follow,” Sen. Romney has personified the highest ideals of American democracy and integrity.
He had nothing to gain and much to lose through a choice that gained the favor only of those who still won’t vote for him. Whatever influence he had in the Senate is now gone. And he will be attacked and vilified by the president, conservative media and even many of his own constituents.
It is absolutely clear that his choice was made solely on a belief that it was the right thing to do. And that is the definition of courage. Thank you, Sen. Romney, for showing us what America is supposed to be.
Paul Gibbs
West Valley City
Sen. Romney, please go away
Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton have a lot in common.
They are both 72 years old. They are both still bitter about losing presidential elections. They both moved to states to easily win U.S. Senate races — Clinton moved to liberal New York and Romney moved to Utah to ingratiate himself with members of the state’s prominent religion. Both despise the president of the United States and believe they are wiser and should be the occupants of the White House. Both love to be in front of the camera for personal attention.
Sen. Romney and Hillary Clinton also have no qualms attacking members of their own party. Clinton accused Tulsi Gabbard of being a Russian asset and recently blasted Bernie Sanders, stating that “nobody likes him.” Romney attacked Donald Trump before the 2016 election declaring: “he is a fraud and a phony” He continues to be Trump’s nemesis. How ironic is this?
Is it Romney who is the real fraud and phony having fooled and betrayed conservative Utah into thinking he was a Republican? Both Clinton and Romney are detested by their own party. “Real Time” host Bill Maher recently told audiences, “The Clintons — they gotta go away.” That’s excellent advice for Mitt Romney as well. Mr. Romney, please go away.
David Jensen
Alpine
Sen. Romney’s vote shows he is a man of integrity
Former Latter-day Saint General Authority Tad R. Callister said, “Integrity is the courage to do right regardless of the consequences and inconveniences.” All Utahns should be proud of Sen. Mitt Romney, regardless of where you personally stood on the impeachment trial. That is because Romney showed with his votes during the impeachment trial that he was a man of true integrity.
“When he came to a decision on what he thought was right, he was willing to face the backlash of what was sure to be a very unfavorable move politically to go with his conscience.” — Melarie Wheat, Draper
He studied the evidence and committed to be an impartial juror. When he came to a decision on what he thought was right, he was willing to face the backlash of what was sure to be a very unfavorable move politically to go with his conscience. Thank you Sen. Romney for your character. You are exactly the kind of person we need in Washington right now.
Melarie Wheat
Draper
Sen. Romney’s vote was inexcusable
Sen. Mitt Romney has committed a serious offense against the president of the United States. By joining with the highly partisan Democrats in the House of Representatives and the Senate, he became the first senator in history to vote for removal of a president in his own political party.
He previously voted to request more witnesses in a trial that was completely mishandled in the House. It was abundantly clear to even casual observers that the case so carelessly created by Democrats would not survive an editor’s review, yet Sen. Romney decided to try to add some amount of validity to baseless charges.
Outrage by the public across our country illustrates that voters are extremely upset about how a fairy tale can be forced through Congress. Democrats and Sen. Romney should be ashamed of their actions and should be shunned.
Undoubtedly history will record the performance of Sen. Romney as a net negative. He has failed the voters of Utah and the United States. He should seriously consider resigning from the U.S. Senate. If he does not, then his last four years in office should be marked with constant reminders of his inexcusable actions.
Ron Skow
Littleton, North Carolina
He is my hero
I cheered, clapped and shed tears of joy over Sen. Mitt Romney, one honest faithful man who stood up to the pressure and fear being imposed on him by people who wanted him to bend as they had bent, save his hide as they were saving theirs.
Mitt has had times of weakness in the past when he took his party’s advice as their candidate for president, and I feared he might go their way again. This time was different. Though the risks to himself and his family were huge, he could not deny the truth. I know what his faith demanded of him I feel that same necessity to be true to the truth myself.
I felt the words Mitt spoke were inspired. They were brief, but eloquent. They were not self-serving, as some say. If the people of the state of Utah fail to see that our Sen. Romney has stood the tallest of any other person in Washington this week, they will never be able to appreciate what true courage and patriotism are, and they are no better than President Donald Trump themselves.
Members of his own church are attacking Mitt for doing exactly what his faith and testimony required of him. Mitt said that he wanted his children and grandchildren to know that he had stood up for the values he had taught them. I want my children and grandchildren to know the same about me. Sen. Romney, you are my hero!
Janet Enke
South Jordan
Sen. Romney — the political chameleon
The once electable, but then imploded, presidential candidate Sen. Mitt Romney is clearly bent on padding his resume once again. His hoped-for conviction of the sitting president is not just thinly veiled. It is the apex of political arrogance. Sen. Romney peddles his presidential persona by way of pricey, well-tailored suits, neatly coiffed hair, glinty smile and polished mannerisms. The perfect man. The new savior of the Republican Party. We are not fooled. He is a political chameleon in the likeness of the late Sen. John McCain.
Sen. Romney has taken a vocal position in the Senate trial of President Trump that cements his status as a Republican in name only. Sen. Romney craves the same cameras and media adulation that McCain commanded, now Sen. Romney aims to be the reconstructed maverick.
“Sen. Romney has taken a vocal position in the Senate trial of President Trump that cements his status as a Republican in name only.” — Steve Sisa, Colorado Springs, Colorado
With many friends and colleagues, I voted for Sen. Romney for president in 2012. The expectations were high. He was to be the antidote to a “fundamental transformation” of the republic. Sen. Romney then succumbed to Obama and wilted under pressure. We are now inexorably opposed to the senator’s self-serving subterfuge — there is no more accurate word — against President Trump.
At their next Senate election cycle, one hopes that most voting Utahans will recognize the mistake of putting this man back in business.
Steve Sisa
Colorado Springs, Colorado
I have real pride in my representative
I had long since given up hope that the Republican Party, from which I had become disaffected upon the ascendancy of Donald Trump, would ever be able to wash itself of the stain our president has left upon it. Once it became clear to me that so many of my fellow Republican citizens were as content as our politicians to let real conservatism be eroded by and eventually replaced by Trumpism, I left for good.
Sen. Mitt Romney shocked me along with most of the world yesterday when he voted for President Trump’s conviction. I had always generally respected him, but fully expected him to vote with the rest of his party. His eventual choice to follow his conscience and do the right thing over party politics achieved something I never thought I would feel: real pride in one of my representatives in Washington.
I could not be more proud to be represented in the senate by Sen. Mitt Romney. God bless him for his courage, and may all his fellow senators learn from his example.
Jake Rasmussen
Logan
He had other options
Instead of voting to impeach, Sen. Romney had so many better options.
Given his history with President Trump, he had no prospect of being “impartial,” he could have recused himself from the trial.
He could have expressed his displeasure and then abstained or voted present.
If he really felt this strongly, given how the vast majority of his voters feel, he should have resigned — he could run again as a Democrat in the special election.
He could have done the right thing, held his nose and voted to acquit.
Or he could have figured out that the charges were not “high crimes” or even “crimes” at all, but a desperate attempt to damage our president and his party — including Sen. Romney.
I’m embarrassed that he represents me.
Randy Nielsen
Murray