Friday, February 07, 2020

Conscience

[M]y promise before God to apply impartial justice required that I put my personal feelings and biases aside.  Were I to ignore the evidence that has been presented, and disregard what I believe my oath and the Constitution demands of me for the sake of a partisan end, it would, I fear, expose my character to history's rebuke and the censure of my own conscience. ...

I acknowledge that my verdict will not remove the president from office.  The results of this Senate court will in fact be appealed to a higher court: the judgment of the American people.  Voters will make the final decision, just as the president's lawyers have implored.  My vote will likely be in the minority in the Senate.  But irrespective of these things, with my vote, I will tell my children and their children that I did my duty to the best of my ability, believing that my country expected it of me.

-- Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) explaining on the Senate floor his decision to vote to convict President Trump of abuse of power, 5 February 2020

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