GOP Sen. Mitt Romney votes to remove President Donald Trump

Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was the only senator to cross party lines in President Donald Trump’s Senate trial Wednesday, voting guilty on one of two articles of impeachment.

In a speech on the Senate floor before the vote, Romney called Trump’s actions in pushing Ukraine to investigate a political rival “appalling.”

“The president is guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust,” he said. “What the president did was wrong, grievously wrong.”

Romney called Trump’s actions — the president was impeached on charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress — “perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of oath of office that I can imagine.”

Wednesday’s vote was 52 not guilty, 48 guilty on the abuse of power article. It was 53-47 on the obstruction of justice charge, fully along party lines with Romney opting for not guilty.

In explaining his decision, Romney said he realized Trump’s acquittal was all but ensured. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, and 67 votes were needed on either charge for Trump to be removed from office.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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