FILE - In this June 9, 2020, file photo, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, talks to reporters as he arrives for the weekly Republican policy luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said it’s “just not reality” to think that the outcome of the 2020 presidential election could be switched by yet undiscovered widespread voter fraud.
He also said he believes that President-elect Biden will govern from the center of the aisle, rather than being pulled to the left by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi or Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
On Live Mic, Lee Lonsberry asked Romney if his decision not to vote for President Donald Trump meant he sought to ensure the president didn’t win a second term.
Sen. Romney said Mr. Trump’s comments about women and racial issues during the 2016 presidential campaign disqualified him from receiving the senator’s support.
“As you know, I was one of those who was convinced without any doubt that he did intend to put pressure on a foreign government to interfere in our elections,” Romney said, referring to his vote to impeach President Trump.
Romney (R-Utah) was the only senator to break with his party by voting to convict President Trump during his impeachment trial in the Senate on accusations he tried to cheat in the 2020 election by pressuring Ukraine, a U.S. ally, to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden.
The Republican-led Senate voted in February to acquit Mr. Trump on two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
“Corrupting an election to keep one’s self in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine,” Romney said at the time during a speech on the Senate floor.
Romney became the first senator in U.S. history to convict a member of his own party during an impeachment trial.
Meanwhile in Washington, D.C., the General Services Administration (GSA), which helps manage all other federal agencies, has yet to recognize President-elect Biden’s transition team to prepare the incoming administration to take over operations of the federal government on Inauguration Day.
GSA administrator Emily Murphy, a Trump appointee, has placed the main components of the transition process on hold. She has yet to send the required letter of ascertainment which is required before the release of funds to the transition team.
“Do you think the delay on the part of the GSA is appropriate?” Lee asked.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate,” Romney said. “I think given the likelihood that President-elect Biden will be sworn in as the next president, it is very much in our national interest to have a transition that is as smooth and effective as possible […] Let’s get him up to speed so we don’t make any mistakes.”
Romney added that he has not seen any evidence in his meetings in Washington that the presidential election is going to be reversed. He also hasn’t seen preponderance of voting irregularities to suggest a different outcome than Biden is going to be sworn in as the next president beginning on Jan. 20, 2021.
He said if the Democrats were able to steal the election, it would be the “greatest covert mission ever accomplished. It’s just not reality.”
Romney said he thinks President-elect Biden doesn’t want to be pulled to the left by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known by her initials AOC.
“After all, he said in his first speech that he wanted to bring America together,” Romney said.
During the campaign, Biden repeated that he would “work as hard for those who didn’t vote for me as those who did.”
“You’re not going to bring America together if you try to promote the Green New Deal, Medicare For All or big tax hikes or you try to get rid of coal, gas and oil,” Romney said.
Romney viewed the presidential election as one of personal choice for each voter, whereas he saw the congressional races in the House and Senate as picking a policy preference.
“By and large, they’re rejecting the left-wing policies that [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi, AOC, [Vermont Sen.] Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer have been promoting,” he said. “America is still a center-right country. I think that’s what voters said.”
Live Mic with Lee Lonsberry can be heard weekdays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app.