(Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, walks inside the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press)
SALT LAKE CITY – A scathing petition against Utah Senator Mitt Romney is making the rounds online, calling on the Utah Republican Party to censure him over his vote to convict President Trump. However, it appears the petition won’t have the effect the organizers want it to have.
Republican senators in other states are facing disciplinary action over their votes to convict. The Louisiana Republican Party censured Sen. Bill Cassidy for saying the former president was guilty of inciting an insurrection. Sen. Liz Cheney was censured by the Wyoming Republican Party earlier this month, and is rejecting calls for her to resign.
In Utah, hundreds of people have already attached their names to an online petition, calling for Romney to be censured, also. The petition accuses Romney of failing to represent the average conservative Utah Republican, misrepresenting himself as a Republican and of putting his own political vendetta against President Trump ahead of the US Constitution.
Some of the bullet points of the petition include…
“Whereas; Senator Willard Mitt Romney saw fit to intentionally violate the 1st, 4th, 5th, and 14th Amendment Rights of President Donald J. Trump.
Whereas, Senator Willard Mitt Romney used and uses his senatorial power and influence to undermine Republican President Donald J. Trump.
Whereas; Senator Willard Mitt Romney has condoned false and misleading statements that have led the 117th Congress of the United States to further conduct an illegal and unconstitutional 2nd Impeachment proceeding against President Donald J. Trump.
Whereas; Senator Willard Mitt Romney fails to ensure election integrity and continues to condemn those who do.”
Officials with the Utah GOP say they’ve seen the petition, however, Party Chair Derek Brown believes censure wouldn’t help the GOP in the future.
“It’s not going to get us where we need to go. It’s not going to help remind people why they are Republicans. It’s not going to bring people into the tent and it’s not going to help us win elections,” Brown says.
In a statement released to the press, party officials condemned the attack on the US Capitol, calling it horrific and inexcusable. However, it also says both of Utah’s senators were criticized over how they voted, and that the differences between the two votes show “diversity of thought.” Brown referenced President Ronald Reagan, who said, “Unity of thought does not require unanimity of thought.”
Brown says, “It’s an opportunity for us, frankly, as a party to step back and realize that we’re always going to have differences and agreements within the party. Every party does, in every state.”
Technically, this decision isn’t up to Brown. A central committee will have to make the official decision about censuring Romney. However, it’s not likely to happen.
“A year ago, there was an opportunity to do the same when Sen. Romney cast a vote for impeachment. That body determined not to do that,” Brown says.
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